Gaza:The olive sector in Gaza has experienced a dramatic collapse, with cultivated areas reducing by 90% and olive oil production plummeting by 86% during the 2026 harvest season. This downturn is attributed to the ongoing Israeli military campaign since 2023, which has severely impacted the infrastructure that once supported the local Palestinian economy and self-sufficiency.

According to Qatar News Agency, Raafat Asliya, spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture in the Gaza Strip, reported a reduction in olive cultivation from around 50,000 dunums to just 5,000, with the number of olive trees decreasing from nearly two million to approximately 150,000. This significant loss underscores the importance of olives in Gaza’s agricultural sector, where they accounted for about 55% of tree cultivation and nearly 27% of the total plant production area.

The decline in olive fruit production, from 40,000 tonnes annually to no more than 5,000 tonnes, and the drop in olive oil production, from 5,000 tonnes to just 700 tonnes, highlight the severe impact on food security and the Palestinian dietary pattern. The crisis extends beyond farmers’ lost income, affecting the entire value chain, including olive presses, pickling factories, and marketing operations.

The workforce has also been affected, with the number of farmers associated with the sector dropping from 20,000 to 1,000. This imbalance in supply and demand has caused olive fruit prices to quadruple, while the price of olive oil has tripled.

Nasser Odeh, owner of a group of olive presses, described the destruction as a direct targeting of Palestinian roots and identity. Despite the damage, efforts are underway to rebuild and continue operations on a smaller scale.

The human toll of the conflict is evident in stories like that of Hamdi Al Samouni, a farmer displaced from his land, which was turned into a military zone. Returning to find his farm destroyed, Al Samouni now resides in a tent, reflecting on the loss of a livelihood that once provided sustenance and community.

International warnings from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) point to an imminent agricultural catastrophe, with only a fraction of Gaza’s open agricultural land and greenhouses remaining safely accessible and undamaged.