A US program for mechanical olive harvesting targeting 1000 farmers

The USAID-funded Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development Project organized a closing workshop for the mechanical olive harvesting program held at West Hall Symposium, in the eastern Beirut suburb of Sin El Fil. The program aimed to improve the productivity of olive harvesting while decreasing costs for some 1000 olive oil producers across Lebanon. Representatives from 18 agricultural cooperatives and 60 olive producers from the North, South, Bekaa and Mount Lebanon participated in the event.
The Program Director, Rouland Andari, highlighted the significance of the project which aims at reducing the cost by 50%, saves time and effort and protects olives trees from damages resulting from traditional harvesting methods. Speaking to As Safir newspaper, Andari said that the program which began in 2012 is expected to be completed by 2017. The program stared by targeting some 250 beneficiaries last season, reaching 1000 farmers this year, 2000 next year, and 3000 beneficiaries in 2017. He added that the organizers have conducted training sessions on how to use the new technology for directors and heads of cooperatives. These are now transferring the knowledge to other olive farmers. The said project encourages the participation of youth and women. Out of 1000 farmers, some150 women have taken part in the project which has generated 73 jobs in rural areas of Lebanon. Some of the most significant outcomes of the 5-year Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development Project which has a total budget of $41.7 million are: increasing in the productivity of olive orchards through protecting the trees; a reduction in harvest cost by 40%, which provides farmers with more flexibility in price setting. Moreover, statistics covering 18 cooperatives using the battery-operated harvesters have indicated that harvest cost has decreased to $0.24 from $0.40 for one kg, resulting in a total saving of $212000. Furthermore, the overall production from using 123 mechanical harvesters has reached 1325 tons, while total revenues have exceeded $80000 for all partner cooperatives. This latest figure is expected to rise by 20% in the next season. (As Safir, Feb 25, 2015)