Olive production in Jenin governarate: A Geographical Study

This study is intended to deal with Olive Production in Jenin governarate "A Geographical Stitdy", aiming at: 1. Studying the development of olive planted areas in the governarate During the period 1980-1998. 2. Studying the recent situation of olive production, highlighting the most significant problems, "natural and human", encountering olive trees growing in Jenin governarate. • 3. Definition of local olive oil production portion "oil, olive fruit" of the annual consumption from the different areas of olive production in Jenin governarate. 4. Studying the economical competence of growing olive trees in the governarate. 5. Introducing some recommendations that help in stimulating and promotion this • type of agriculture according to the ruling economical and political conditions, and facing the problems and obstructions effecting olive production and growing. The study got started through the following hypothesis: 1- Olive production is affected by human and natural factors. 2- The degrees of self sufficiency of olive and oil in the area of study aren’t the same as a result of the production oscillation besides to the consumption increase related to the population increasing numbers. The study• consisted of Five Chapters, the first one contained the definition of the area of study, its aims, its problems, the former relevant studies about olive "the subject", the method of the study. The second chapter discussed the natural factors and their effect on olive production, while the human factors and their effect on olive production were discussed through the third chapter. The fourth chapter discussed the areas planted with olive trees, their production, economical efficiency and self-efficiency at the area of Study, while the fifth chapter discussed the Study's Results and the recommendations. The study came to the conclusions: 1. Olive trees are considered as the leading productive trees planted in Jenin governarate, the olive-planted areas on 1998 were about "146.830" dunams, -44%- of the areas exploited for different types of agriculture, trees, vegetables and other crops, forming 78% of'186457 dunams", the whole area of exploited for planting fruitful trees in the governarate. The olive production in the area was estimated on 1998 to make 9.5% of Palestine production of olive. 2. There is an annual slight increase in the areas prepared to plant olive trees. 3. Olive production oscillates from year to another. 4. The smallness and diffusion of productive areas hinders using more sophisticated means of production. 5. Farmers suffer low level of dealing with new agricultural methods and agricultural guidance. 6. The soil of the governarate is poor in Nitrogen and natural compost, as the percentage of these materials is not sufficient for the needs of olive trees. 7. The degree of self-sufficiency of olive and olive oil varies from a year to another as a result of the phenomenon of the good production every other year, on 1998 the self sufficiency degree of olive fruits came up to 807%, but it was 285% of olive oil, and on 1997 it was only 8%. The most prominent recommendations are: • Supporting and rehabilitating the agricultural and commercial stations at the governarate. • The urgent need for paying attention to industries, especially the olive mills in order to reduce the sourness degree and providing a special factory for pickling olive fruits. • Rehabilitating the old orchards by clipping old trees. • Building up agricultural roads to facilitate reaching to the orchards, the matter that encourages the owners to exploit it well. • Guiding the farmers and providing them with the best agricultural instructions on proper farming, clipping and fertilizer use. • Conducting researches about the production rotation, fertilizers' use and treating diseases. • Intensifying the use of organic and chemical fertilizers "nitrogen, phosphorous and Potassium".