Al-Jouf Olive Festival Propels Farmers Onto Global Competition

The Al-Jouf International Olive Festival has become a key platform for olive producers, strengthening agricultural competition within Saudi Arabia and abroad. It supports farmers who produce olive oil and table olives, helps them display their skills, and gives them access to awards that boost consumer trust in Al-Jouf’s products in regional and global markets.

Organisers state that the Al-Jouf Olive Festival increases farmers’ chances of recognition by giving them structured spaces to present their work. Award-winning entries in previous editions for best olive oil and best pickled olives have raised the profile of the region. These repeated honours have reinforced the quality reputation attached to Al-Jouf’s olive sector.

The festival’s role goes beyond competitions, as it links small-scale producers with investors and direct buyers. Dedicated booths allow farmers to sell olive oil and table olives on-site, while also building commercial ties that continue after the event. This framework supports the wider agricultural economy in Al-Jouf and improves access to local and international markets.

Farmer Ghaleb Qablan Al-Sharari has attended every edition, from the first to the nineteenth, presenting products from a farm in the Basita agricultural area. Al-Sharari has earned five festival awards for olive oil, which opened the door to contests in France. Al-Sharari also gained a medal at the Dubai International Olive Oil Competition for extra virgin oil in the lowest-acidity category.

Al-Sharari said the festival has played a key role in improving farmers’ production practices to achieve lower acidity levels, including better harvesting and pressing methods. These improvements begin with irrigation, tree pruning, and careful picking, followed by safe transport in containers that prevent oxidation, cold pressing, and proper storage in galvanized steel tanks or metal containers to preserve the oil’s natural properties.

By encouraging such detailed farming and processing methods, the Al-Jouf International Olive Festival supports higher technical standards for olive oil and table olives. The continuing focus on quality, market access, and awards helps maintain consumer confidence while allowing producers from Al-Jouf to compete credibly with international farms in specialist olive competitions.

With inputs from SPA