Amman, Jordan – The Jordan Olive Producers Exporters Association (JOPEA) and the Mercy Corps HortiFuture Project, with support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, organized an event to promote ancient olive oil “Ateek” on Sunday, January 29th, 2023 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman with attendance from H.E. Mr. Makram M. Queisi, the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, H.E. Eng. Khaled Alhinifat, the Minister of Agriculture, and H.E. Mr. Harry Verweij, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The event showcased the unique and premium quality of ancient olive oil harvested from trees over 1000 years old, which was produced using the best agricultural practices. A new brand for this olive oil called "Ateek" was introduced and highlighted during the event.

The event began with opening speeches from Ruba Daghmish, Executive Director of JOPEA “I am proud to say that Jordan is considered one of the oldest olive oil cultivation countries in the world, and even more proud to have this niche product available to the market, this event will showcases the rich history of Al-Mehras olive trees in our country and how it positions Jordan as a leader in the global olive oil industry.”

, and Tala Momani, Senior Agriculture and Value Chain Advisor, Economic Opportunities and Market Development, Mercy Corps mentioning “This olive oil is a delicacy oil, a way of finding a niche product from olive oil. The beauty of this produce is to give pride to these trees and the farmers who inherited these trees and now they have a better value for their produce. Mercy Corps is working closely with NARC and JOPEA to protect, invest and maintain the great value of these historical trees”.

This was followed by a speech by H.E. Mr. Harry Verweij, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands “I highly appreciate that the symbolism and history of the olive tree in Jordan and its high-quality oil are being captured to enhance the value of the product. A great product should be accompanied by a great narrative and a compelling story, to attract consumers both in Jordan and abroad. Together with Mercy Corps, JOPEA and NARC we will continue to enhance the competitiveness of Jordanian agricultural products in domestic and international markets while improving water efficiency and use in the agricultural sector."

During the launch ceremony, Dr. Nizar Haddad the Director General of the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) gave a presentation on the achievements of NARC in the field of highlighting the importance of Al-Mahras olives and the historical value of the trees, in addition to the quality of Al-Mahras olive oil.

The Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Eng. Khaled Alhinifat stated that “Jordan is a historical producer of olive oil, as evidenced by the presence of ancient olive trees that make up 15-20% of the country's olive tree cultivation. A team of experts from the National Agricultural Research Center, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, have studied the genetic code of these ancient trees and discovered that they are closely related to olive varieties grown in other production countries, suggesting that Jordan is most likely the origin of these olives”.

Subsequently, a tasting session was held for the ancient olive oil, where a chef demonstrated how to perfectly match it with different dishes and the characteristics of this niche oil. Chiefs, hoteliers, private sector, and Tourism and Agriculture representatives participated in the event. This event was an excellent opportunity to showcase the history and benefits of ancient olive oil and the efforts being made to promote it.

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