Enhanced olive oil

Italy provides $2.4 million to support program for improving production

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) signed a funding agreement with the Embassy of Italy within a national program for upgrading the local production of olive oil.

According to the agreement, the Italian government will grant the Ministry of Agriculture €1.775 million (around $2.4 million).

The funding is intended to support the implementation of ‘The national program for the improvement of olive oil’s quality and actions against the diffusion of drupes Phytoplasma’. The objective of the program is to boost the exportation of olive oil by at least ten percent.

The one-year initiative aims to improve the MoA’s management capacities to boost the production of olive oil in four regions (Chouf, Batroun, Koura, and North Bekaa). The initiative intends to help olive oil farmers promote their production capacities. It also aims to employ updated methodologies to produce olive oil certificated according to international standards.

The program also involves building a laboratory to test the produce and ensure high quality olive oil.