Jouf governor inaugurates state-of-the-art organic olive oil factory

Jouf Gov. Prince Faisal bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art organic olive oil factory in the region.

The prince was welcomed to the project site in the Busita agricultural area of Tabarjal governorate by Million Trees Farm owner Nasser Al-Hamad and other officials and factory managers.

During his visit, Prince Faisal toured the farm and factory and was told about the main features, particularly the use of the latest organic farming methods.

The governor highlighted the region’s key role as Saudi Arabia’s food basket and noted the competitiveness of its agricultural products in domestic and global markets.

Al-Hamad started the project in 2018 with just 160,000 trees. Through extensive research, including trips to farms and consultations with agricultural experts from around the world, he expanded his operations.

By 2021, he had gained recognition as the best farmer in the Jouf region and set out on a mission to plant 1 million olive trees, leading to the olive oil factory initiative.

The farm and factory utilize cutting-edge irrigation and one of the world’s largest high-density olive harvesters.

Al-Hamad told Arab News that the business prided itself on employing 100 percent modern organic farming methods. Harvesting olives is labor intensive and crop quality can suffer if they are overexposed to sunlight.

To ensure quality levels are maintained, Al-Hamad said large harvesters were used for the immediate pressing of the olives, a crucial step in preserving the oil’s purity and flavor. He noted that it could process around 700,000 kg of olives per day.

After harvest, the olives are meticulously cleaned to remove impurities, and pressed in tanks holding up to 200 tons. Post-grinding, a kneading phase helps preserve the oil’s quality, and it is then extracted through special filters.

The oil undergoes final filtration in tanks without any chemical additives. Pure, fresh oil is then filtered and stored in cans and bottles ranging from one to 16 liters.

“The Million Trees Farm factory has a capacity of about 1.7 million liters of olive oil. The project covers all aspects, from cultivation and pressing to storage, completing the production process through packaging, marketing, and sales,” Al-Hamad added.