An Olive Oil Plant Built by TİKA Has Opened in the Gaza Strip

An olive oil plant built by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) looks to help further economic self-sufficiency for Palestinians.

The plant opened in Abasan al-Kabira, a small town thriving on agriculture in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, and is the latest instance of income-generating projects by Turkey and TİKA for Palestinians. The TİKA-built plant, which will be run by the local municipality, aims to improve olive oil processing in the region, a hub of olive growers in the southern Gaza Strip.

Speaking at an inauguration ceremony, Bülent Korkmaz, TIKA Coordinator of Palestine, said the construction started in 2012 for the plant and was completed "despite Israeli blockade." The plant will give Palestinian farmers "an opportunity to sell their produces for better prices and thus, improve agriculture in the region," Korkmaz said.

Abasan al-Kabira Mayor Mustafah Alshawaf thanked TİKA for the plant and said it would help sustain agriculture in Khan Younis, the second largest city in the Gaza Strip. Alshawaf said the plant will save farmers time in olive oil extraction as well as help them to boost their funds in olive oil sales.