Thursday 02 / May / 2024
Muscat: Rapped in attention like school students, the group of tourists listened to one of the leading horticulturists of the Sultanate of Oman weaving magic with his words while telling the story of olive plantations in the nation.
Meet, Dr Ali Al Furqani, a horticulturist, who holds a doctorate in horticulture science from the USA, and is passionate about olive plantations in the Sultanate of Oman.
The group at the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar was not the first as Al Furqani has been holding storytelling sessions on many occasions highlighting the importance of the fruit and the tree that has become one of the cash crops for farmers in Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
In his remarks to Times of Oman, Al Furqani began by saying that “studying olives trees and its history has been my passion for the past 11 years.”
Al Furqani said: “I am just in love with olives and though my doctoral subject was not on it, I have spent a considerable amount of my time studying olive trees and the fruits. In Oman, we have two main regions where olive plantation has met with commercial success over the past decade. They are primarily grown in Al Jabal Al Akhdar and Jabal Al Shams as both the areas are similar in climate and are at more than 2,000m above ground level. There are, however, few farms and plantations done also in Thamrait in Dhofar Governorate, Bahla and Al Hamra in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.”
Addressing the group of tourists, who listen attentively, Al Furqani details that “there are more than 1,700 varieties of olive trees with the majority of plantations happening in arid, semi-arid and Mediterranean countries.”
He said: “We are all aware of the delicious olives and their products coming to Oman from Greece, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Portugal, Tunisia, and Egypt among other nations.
“In Oman, we have around 20 varieties, though there is yet to be a survey done on the exact number of varieties in the Sultanate. There are three main purposes of olive plantations – oil, pickle or both. While the olives grown in Greece are smaller in size that help in good oil production, other olives are good for pickles due to their size and flesh on the seed.”
The leading expert added: “In Oman, farmers prefer to go for olives that are used for dual purpose and most of the farms in Al Jabal Al Akhdar one would find olives used for dual purposes.”
‘Pharmacy in bottle’
Al Furqani highlighted the benefits of olive oil and vouched that usage of olive oil in daily life will help people have a much better, healthier lives.
“For me, I call a bottle of olive oil a pharmacy in a bottle. It is a fact and scientific studies have proven the medicinal benefits of olive oils, starting in reducing the risks of certain types of cancer, helping
Alzheimer’s disease patients and those suffering from chronic diseases,” the leading horticulturist said.
Al Furqani explained one of the main reasons for the medicinal benefits is that the process of oil extraction from olives hardly has chances of adulteration.
He said: “The production process is simple. Olives can be pressed to extract their oil, but modern methods involve crushing the olives, mixing them, and then separating the oil from the pulp in a centrifuge. After centrifugation, small amounts of oil remain. The leftover oil can be extracted using chemical solvents and is known as olive pomace oil."
“There are several grades of olive oil, which vary in terms of their nutritional content and the amount of processing that they undergo. The three main grades of olive oil include: Refined olive oil, virgin olive oil, and extra virgin olive oil.”
Al Furqani added: “Extra virgin olive oil is often considered to be the healthiest type of olive oil. It’s extracted using natural methods and standardised for purity and certain sensory qualities, such as taste and smell.
“At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar during the olives harvest season, the guests are taken to a nearby oil extraction facility where the fresh olives plucked are turned into oil. We have a nice quality of extra virgin oil produced. In total, the mountain area has more than 17,000 trees and approximately the production has been between 8-10 tons of oil annually.”
During his story telling session, Al Furqani not only explains the benefits of oil but also shed light on the varieties of olives and the best harvest time.
“The best time to harvest olives is when they reach the chocolate stage, which means they are neither green nor black but something purple in colour and the season is from September to November.”
Al Furqani said that the success story of the olives plantation in Al Jabal Al Akhdar is a shining example of smart farming and credited the farmers for understanding the commercial benefits of olives.
He said: “Today, farmers in Al Jabal Al Akhdar have managed to raise the olives production to match the harvest of popular pomegranates here, a far cry from five years ago."
“Credit to the farmers as they realised that olives is a cash crop and capitalised on the opportunities that came their way. Pomegranates season in Al Jabal Al Akhdar is from August to September and is followed by olives harvest. It has all been due to the awareness of the benefits of the tree and its fruit.”
Al Furqani lauded the efforts of Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar in spreading awareness of olives and its plantation by hosting the Olives Harvest Festival, which finished the second edition recently.
He said: “It is a wonderful experience for guests who are taken on an educational guided tour through the olive groves, talking about terrace agriculture, growing olives, harvest techniques, milling and cold-pressing of oils along with the possibility of tasting some of the delicious current harvest.”
Al Furqani said ‘olive tourism’ is here to stay as efforts are made to also bring in celebrity chefs to prepare dishes of olives for the guests. “It gives the guests a wholesome experience,” he said.
Benefits of olive oils
Known for its rich flavour, versatility, and health benefits, extra virgin olive oil is an excellent ingredient to keep in your kitchen cupboard.
Not only is it easy to use for roasting, frying, baking, or sautéing, but it’s also jam-packed with antioxidants and heart-healthy fats.
Extensive studies found many health benefits, with some research suggesting that it could protect against heart disease, combat cancer, alleviate inflammation and fight chronic disease. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in heart-healthy fats, along with vitamins E and K. Olive oil contains oleic acid and antioxidants, which can help fight inflammation.
