Despite the difficult days, Tunisia is going through, a glimpse of hope is aroused by skilled intelligent and patriotic youth who believe in their homeland and its brilliant future.
The brothers Salah and Maher Ben Ismail are the architects of their success story, who incessantly highlight the rich heritage of their farm located in the locality of Toukaber in Medjez el-Bab, governorate of Béja.
It is an extra virgin olive oil produced in Béja, in the northwest of Tunisia, from the “Chetoui” olive a purely Tunisian variety with multiple virtues. The olive oil brand won this gold medal, while it competed with 148 other international brands from several countries, including the world’s leading producers of olive oil namely Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
The year 2017 will remain forever memorable for the Ben Ismail family. Indeed, after winning the bronze medal at the “Athena International Olive Oil” competition in Greece in early April, this same extra virgin olive oil won the gold medal in the “London International Olive Oil Quality Competition 2017”, an international competition, which took place on April 14, 2017 in London, the United Kingdom.
“The gustatory and aromatic characteristics have earned our olive oil successive prizes in less than 15 days in Athens and London. We are very proud because it is an honour for Tunisia as well as for the Tunisian agricultural sector, “says Maher Ben Ismail, Grandson of the founder of the Ben Smail farm Salah Ben Isamaïl.
Established since 1966 by Mr Salah Ben Ismail, the olive-growing farm has always been a family affair. After the grandfather, it is the duty of the father Mohamed Ben Ismail, a 59-old senior executive in the Social Affairs Ministry, and his two sons Maher and Salah to take care of the farm that counts 5,000 olive trees.
The quality of olive oil is evaluated in the London competition by a jury made up of experts and international tasters.
The Ben Ismail farm located in Medjez El Bab of the Governorate of Beja, an agricultural region par excellence, is managed, according to modern and integrated practices, by two brother farmers Maher Ben Ismail and Saleh Ben Ismail. Their production, especially the olive oil, has not ceased to accumulate the international rewards. The same brand was awarded in Greece in early April and won a bronze medal at an international competition “Athena International Olive Oil”, evaluating the quality of olive oil.
In general, Tunisian olive oil, mainly in the northwest, is characterized by an extremely high level of polyphenol and tocopherol (molecules produced by the plants with high antioxidant power) pave the way for a conquest of the world market, because of its health benefits. Tunisia is the world’s second-largest producer of olive oil in the Southern Mediterranean region, after Spain (2 million hectares).
Maher Ben Ismail said that this distinction, the second one in less than one month, will not fail to promote the image of this product in Tunisia and abroad, especially since the competitions are organized under the supervision of the International Council of Olive Oil. “To be recognized internationally, you must not only produce, but you also have to target quality, which must be proven and recognized at international competitions”, he noted.
According to Maher Ben Ismail, the choice of the brand is inspired from our history that comes to the name” Triumph of Thuccabor “which means” Triumphal Arch of Toukaber ” in the locality of “Toukaber” in Medjez El Bab. Thuccabor is the Roman name of Toukaber “.
TunisianMonitorOnline (MNHN)
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