The increasing demand for olive oil worldwide is revitalizing rural North Africa, where olive oil has been a traditional product for centuries. However, local producers are facing challenges such as drought, outdated production methods, and ineffective marketing strategies as more countries enter the olive oil market. Tunisia and Morocco, lacking significant energy reserves like their OPEC-member neighbors Algeria and Libya, see olive oil as a promising alternative export due to their dry, hot climates. The majority of the world's olive trees are located around the Mediterranean, with Spain leading the industry from its hub in Martos, followed by Italy and Greece. After making significant investments in modern machinery, the quality of Tunisian olive oil has improved to the point where industry officials in Spain say it now commands prices comparable to their own. Efforts by North Africa to close the gap have been well-received by European producers who are struggling to keep up with the global demand for olive oil as middle-class populations in countries like Brazil and Russia develop a taste for it. Despite being more expensive than other cooking oils, olive oil is valued for its high content of healthier mono-unsaturated fat and polyphenols. Tunisians, regardless of wealth, have cultivated their expertise in olive oil production over centuries, incorporating it into their cuisine, medicines, beauty products, and even using it as a moisturizer. "I've maintained my health by drinking a glass of olive oil every morning, and my wife uses it in every meal," said 90-year-old Hamed, a lively former night security guard from Tunis. In the country of 10 million, more than 500,000 families depend on the olive oil industry, with 56 million olive trees covering 1.6 million hectares (4 million acres). The olive harvest from November to February is a significant event in the rural calendar, prompting many Tunisians to return to their hometowns to assist with the harvest. Women sing traditional songs and share jokes while collecting the olives dropped by the men. A farmer named Haj Smida from the town of el-Jem expressed how a successful olive harvest benefits his entire family. Similarly, 68-year-old olive oil producer Salem Rhaim had to postpone his son's wedding last year due to a poor crop. Rhaim expressed optimism about a successful harvest this season, stating that he would be prepared for costly wedding preparations if the harvest meets expectations. Despite their expertise, Tunisian producers believe that a significant amount of high-quality oil is being undersold locally due to a lack of technology to meet export standards. Some individuals have entered the olive oil industry solely for tax benefits, producing low-quality products that could damage the industry's reputation. Abdelmajid Mahjoub, the owner of an old olive press in Tbourba, also pointed out that inadequate packaging is hindering export opportunities. He stated that more effort is needed to improve their products in order to compete with the Spanish, Greeks, and Italians. In Morocco, the government is providing financial incentives to expand olive cultivation to 1 million hectares by 2010, up from 1,000 hectares in 1999. Some of the production will be used to meet local demand in a country that imports 300,000 tonnes of vegetable oils annually. Mohamed, a 42-year-old farmer in Ain Balidan, on the outskirts of the Rif mountains in northern Morocco, currently grows enough olives for his family and has recently planted additional trees provided by the government. "He expressed his desire to have more land for planting olive trees as prices have been increasing rapidly. The olive trees, which are grey-green in color, have become a symbol of hope for many Moroccans facing drought or desertification, and could serve as a legal alternative to the profitable but illegal cannabis cultivation. According to Mohamed Badraoui, who leads Morocco's anti-desertification program, the country has been considering plant options that can help preserve nature and adapt to changing weather patterns over the past decade. Morocco, along with Algeria, still has a long way to go in adopting modern technology, with some olive oil presses still using traditional methods like a donkey-powered stone or wooden mortar." Jose Ramon Diez, an olive expert at the Spanish farm union ASAJA in Madrid, stated that the world market has significant potential for growth as olive oil currently makes up only 2.8 percent of the fats consumed. Last year, Spain's olive harvest decreased, prompting some farmers in northern Morocco to report that Spanish traders had approached them to purchase olives. Italy, the second largest producer of olive oil, buys some oil for re-export and has been assisting the Tunisian industry in improving its machinery. Italian oil buyers are seeking more consistent quality standards from North African producers and express frustration at the difficulty of contacting them directly, often having to go through intermediaries. Mauro Miloni, who leads the economic observatory of Unaprol, an Italian olive oil industry group, stated that the growth of exports from North Africa could help to diversify a market that is currently dominated by Spain. He emphasized the importance of being able to purchase olive oil from various sources and expressed optimism about the potential for stronger relationships with North African producers in the future, as trade continues to open up.