Italy to open olive oil factory in Iraqi Kurdistan, train farmers

[SocalDinar]

    Italy to open olive oil factory in Iraqi Kurdistan, train farmers Posted on February 5, 2016by Editorial Staff in Agriculture, Business

Olive oil factory. Photo credit: cretanchronicles.wordpress.com

HEWLÊR-Erbil, Kurdistan region ‘Iraq’,— Italy will train Kurdish farmers working in olive groves and open a plant in Iraq’s Kurdistan region to make olive oil, local farming officials told Rudaw.

Samir Ismael, an agricultural official in Kurdistan, told Rudaw that “the Italian government provided 789,000 euros for this project,” adding that the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) will monitor the process.

According to Iraqi government data in 2008, there are 169,400 olive trees in the Kurdistan region, but most are used for purposes other than producing olives for consumption.

 

Since the release of that data, Kurdish officials have imported more than 1.7 million olive trees from Syria, Turkey, Italy and Spain, providing an opportunity to 800 new Kurdish farmers to enter the farming sector to grow olives.

“According to the agreement the Italian team will establish the factory in the Kurdistan region in the next 90 days,” Ismael said, adding that experts from the company will remain until the company begins production of olive oil.

He explained that the factory will only to produce olive oil in the first phase, and that more factories will be needed to produce other commodities, including soap.

The factory will be managed by Kurdish olive grove owners, in an agreement with the Kurdish government.

Hashim Kamal, one of the land owners who will work with the factory, said, “We will run the factory with CIHEAM organization.”

After the Islamic State group took control of the Bashik olive factory, the Kurdistan region has only one factory, Mala Umara, for producing olive oil.

The new olive oil factory will be established in the Khabat neighborhood of Erbil. Most of the olive trees in Kurdistan region are in Erbil and Duhok provinces.

 

http://ekurd.net/italy-olive-oil-factory-kurdistan-2016-02-05

 

Gotta love this article Umbertino! Olive  oil prices are not down,At least where I live

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

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The world needs more Olive Oil ! We say "yay" ! 

[Boozer]

I like olive oil, But do I want it made in Iraq ?

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

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It's okay, BOOZER... it's The Kurds after all, they have their act more together.

( They may not even be 'Iraq' anymore if things keep on like they are.   )

 

Besides, you don't have to have M.E. olive oil... if there is more there in the region for them to use,

that means more Greek & Italian & U.S. and Spanish Olive oil for us !

[WildCatFM]

 Estimates that half the oil sold as extra-virgin in Italy and 75-80 percent of the oil sold in the U.S. does not meet the legal grades for extra-virgin oil.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-overtime-how-to-buy-olive-oil/

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

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That is a fact ya got there alright, WILDCAT !

 

Ya gotta read the labels closely, research, and

select a brand you know is the real deal and

stick with it.

 

May cost a bit more, but consider what you use it for and if it is worth it.

[skeetdog]

Thanks SD....Yes indeed squash those widdle devils into as many extra virgins as they can...I'm up to readin their labels and stickin' it to'em...  

[sandfly]

THANKS