Conflict decimates olive oil production in the West Bank

Palestinian farmers have lost over $10 million in olive oil revenues because of Israeli restrictions on access to their land, according to the UN. More than 96 square kilometres of olive-cultivated lands in the West Bank remained unharvested following the 2023 season, leading to an estimated loss of more than 1,200 metric tons of oil, roughly 5 per cent of the territory’s total production for the year. Olive oil exports from the West Bank earned on average nearly $46 million over the five years before the war, and made up 3 per cent of total exports. Continued lack of access could impact production well into 2024, as farmers have been unable to maintain their groves over the winter. In particular, olive yield in the area isolated by the West Bank barrier was 93 per cent lower compared with the yield in accessible areas.