Palestinian olive oil first to receive Fairtrade recognition

The world’s first Fairtrade-certified olive oil came from Palestinian olives.
Olives are an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean diet and considered to be a life-enhancing nectar. Palestinian olives said to produce a fruity aromatic flavourful olive oil, which leave a lingering peppery taste in your mouth. However the production of olive oil in this region has been laden with environmental and political tensions.

For Palestinians the olive tree or zaytoun has many symbolic meanings, including family, land and hope. As well as having a spiritual significance, the olive and olive oil production provides a vital source of income for many farmers in the region. Often land has been handed down by many generations and even extended families rely on olives for their livelihood too.

As a result the advent of the fair-trade certified olive oil is a momentous breakthrough for many Palestinian farmers where olive production is often the only feasible agricultural activity.

Nasser Abufarha, an olive oil producer and chairman of the Palestinian Fairtrade Association, which represents more than 1,700 farmers and producers in the West Bank, launched Zaytoun the Palestinian brand in Dublin and Belfast.

He said that he hopes that this launch will focus attention on Palestine as a place of agricultural production and highlight the difficulties Palestinian farmers face in getting their produce to domestic and international markets.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown too welcomed the olive oil announcing that he was “delighted” that Fairtrade-certified Palestinian olive oil would be on sale in British supermarkets. He also added “…Olive oil production plays an essential part in the West Bank economy. In buying this oil, British shoppers will be helping the farmers of Palestine to make a living.”

Interestingly, at first Abufarha faced lots of skepticism from the farmers, “They couldn’t imagine why anyone would pay them above the market price. But they were willing to give it a try.” Since the establishment of his association, the average price of Palestinian olive oil has more than doubled.

As well as the financial recognition Palestinian olives are being well received by the culinary world. Malcolm Gluck the food and wine connoisseur described Zaytoun as “one of the least aggressive yet pungently attractive olive oils I have tasted”. He ranked the brand alongside the best of the fruity Sicilian, Cretan and northern Spanish oils. The River café is also said to be taken by Zaytoun and are exploring their other products.

For information on Zaytoun and fairly traded Palestinian foods visit: www.zaytoun.org or www.equalexchange.co.uk

Words by India Blair