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It is a great honor for Cyprus
to host the 60th session of the Advisory Committee of the
International Olive Council here in Lefkosia. The olive tree has been
cultivated in Cyprus since ancient times. In fact, the oldest reference to
olive tree cultivation in the world is in the village of Fyllia in the
Keryneia province of Cyprus in 4,800 BC. Moreover, excavations in settlements
and temples of the Neolithic Period here in Cyprus, brought to light some of
the oldest olive mills in the whole Mediterranean region.
To this day, the olive tree is
one of the most important traditional tree crops of Cyprus with olives and
olive oil to be an integral part of the Cypriot diet, while they are also
linked to our customs and traditions.
In Cyprus today, the
cultivation of olive trees is considered to be the biggest and most important
in terms of area as it amounts to approximately 9.000 hectares. For the
production of olive oil, 33 olive mills operate throughout the country, most
of which use modern olive oil extraction methods. The annual production of
olive oil, reaches to approximately 5,000 tons, with most of it to be extra
virgin olive oil, while a quantity of approximately 500 tons is certified as
organic olive oil.
The soil and climate conditions
of Cyprus are ideal for the production of high-quality olive oil. The
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, having as its
main goal the improvement of the olive growing sector, provides producers
with all possible assistance, both in terms of cultivation and production, as
well as in terms of marketing. Furthermore, the Panel for Organoleptic
Assessment of Olive Oil, the only one recognized by the International Olive
Council, operates in Cyprus under the auspices of the Department of
Agriculture.
Cyprus joined the International
Olive Council as a full member in 1992, while since May 1, 2004, the date on
which Cyprus joined the European Union, it has been represented at the International
Olive Council by the European Union, a practice consistent with all member
states. Cyprus attaches particular importance to the role of the
International Olive Council and therefore participates in its meetings and
proceedings. Cyprus also participates with officers in technical and
educational programs, organized by the International Olive Council, while at
the same time, it uses its grants to carry out actions related to trainings
and information to the public related to the beneficial properties of olive
oil.
As part of our effort to
further improve and highlight the olive growing sector in our country, Cyprus
has requested to host the 60th session of the Advisory Committee
and we are very pleased that this request has been accepted. I am sure that
you and the members of the Advisory Committee will find your visit to Cyprus
fruitful and pleasant, and familiarize with the Cypriot olive products.
I would also like to thank the
Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Madrid, as well as the Deputy Ministry
of Tourism of Cyprus for their contribution to the organization of today's
session and tomorrow’s Technical Visit.
I wish you every success in
today's session.
Thank you.
(MG)
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