In this article, we will look at the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world. To skip our detailed analysis of the global olive production sector, you can see the 5 Countries That Produce The Best Olives in the World.
Overview of the Global Olive Production Sector
Olives originally came from the southern European region near the Mediterranean Sea. Its origin is one of the primary reasons why some of the largest olive-producing countries in the world are from this very region, with Spain, Italy, Turkey, Morocco, and Greece standing at the forefront. Although olive tree production is spread across the continents of Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and Africa, it prevails in the Mediterranean Basin. This region represents around 98% of the total olive tree and area production and 97% of all olive output globally.
Spain, Greece, Italy, and Tunisia alone account for around 74% of the total olive production, 65% of the total olive production area, and 76% of the olive production trees. According to data from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, the total area used for planting olive trees has remained between 30,000 and 40,000 acres since 1980. As of 2021, there are around 36,000 acres of olive-bearing land yielding approximately 2.8 tons per acre. This brings the total production to 101,000 tons. The value of this total olive production comes up to $85.04 million.
Of the 101,000 tons of olives produced in 2021, around 54,390 tons were crushed or cold-pressed for olive oil. As of 2021, this production is valued at $764 per ton. In addition, 31,400 tons of olives were canned, valued at $1,110 per ton. 12,000 tons were processed as “limited,” bringing their value to $720 per ton. Lastly, around 2,200 tons of olive output were processed as “undersized” and valued at minus $2 per ton.
According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the olive market has a market size of $14.89 billion as of 2024. Its market size is expected to grow, reaching $18.86 billion by 2029. This indicates a compounded annual growth rate of 4.85% between 2024 and 2029. Europe is the largest market in the domain, and is also the fastest-growing one. In fact, data from the European Commission shows that the European Union is the leading producer, consumer, and exporter of olive oil. The region produces around 2 million tons of olive oil and 866,000 tons of table olives annually. This makes up 68% of the total olive oil production in the world.
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Key Players in the Olive Industry
Considerable “olive oil fraud” exists in the olive industry, especially in countries where extra virgin olive oil is not made from pure olives but rather from a concoction of cheaper oils like canola or sunflower. Olive oil fraud also includes substituting and diluting extra virgin olive oil. However, not all types of extra virgin oil are produced from fraudulent activities. Some key players in the olive industry have solidified their market standing due to the authenticity of their practices and the quality of their olives. One of these is the Spain-based company Deoleo, S.A. (OTC:SOSCF), which specializes in producing high-quality, adaptable, and rich olive oil. Formerly known as SOS Corporacion Alimentaria SA, this company functions in the food processing sector with activities structured in one specific area: vegetable oils. Deoleo, S.A. (OTC:SOSCF) produces and sells bottled olive oil under a number of brands, including Bertolli, Carbonell, Koipe, Carapelli, Sasso, Koipesol, and Hojiblanca. It also sells and distributes table olives, seed oils, sauces, vinegars, and confectionery products, which are then sold in more than 70 countries. In 2021, the company sold 192.5 million liters of oil, and received more than 20,000 oil samples for quality check.
Deoleo, S.A. (OTC:SOSCF) recently achieved the Platinum medal, which is the highest rank of the EcoVadis seal, placing it in the list of the top 1% of companies rated highest in corporate sustainability and ESG. EcoVadis evaluates more than 130,000 companies from across the world every year, assigning them a score of out 100 on the EcoVadis scale. Deoleo, S.A. (OTC:SOSCF) previously ranked in the Gold category before upgrading to Platinum, ranking it among the top companies rated by this sustainability rating agency. Deoleo, S.A. (OTC:SOSCF) highlighted this achievement in its recent Integrated Sustainability Report. The report also included other company features, such as a 15% increase in certified oil mills under its Sustainability Protocol, raising awareness among millions of people across the world about the benefits of olive oil consumption, and attaining Zero Waste Certification in its factories. The company is thus on the path to improving its oil production and contributing positively to the industry.
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Now that we have an overview of the olive industry, let’s examine the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world.
12 Countries That Produce The Best Olives In the World
Our Methodology
To compile a list of the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world, we have taken the quality of extra virgin olive oil produced as a proxy metric. Since there is a lack of an accurate data set detailing the production of olive oil by country, our hypothesis is that countries that produce the best extra virgin olive oil also produce the best olives since extra virgin olive oil is made from the purest form of olives. We have sourced data from multiple reputable sources to analyze experts’ consensus on the quality of extra virgin olive oil being produced by countries globally. We also consulted the EVOO World Ranking, which introduces consumers to the extra virgin olive oils that hold the highest accolades across the globe. To rank the countries shortlisted through our consensus methodology, we have used data for the 2021 value of exports of olive oil and its components that are not chemically modified to provide further context to the reader. It should be noted that our list does not include the countries with the “highest” export of olive oil, but rather countries with the “best-quality” of exported olive oil. Our list has been arranged in ascending order of their 2021 olive oil exports.
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12 Countries That Produce The Best Olives In the World
12. Israel
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $3.6 million
Israel ranks 12th on our list of the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world, with an olive export valued at $3.6 million as of 2021. The country boasts around 81,000 acres of olive orchards, with a majority of its olive oil production centered around the Shomron region, the Galilee region, and the Golan Heights. Israeli olives are typically watered using sterilized, salted wastewater, which retains their quality and does not require producers to use excess fertilizers. It also has strict laws and quality control procedures in place to maintain the quality of its produce, implemented by the Israeli Ministries of Agriculture and Health.
11. Morocco
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $40 million
Morocco is located in North Africa and borders the Midettereanean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The country holds Arabian, Berber, and European cultural influences, which can also be noticed in its cuisine. It is famous for producing high-quality olives and olive oil, especially in Fes, Meknes, and Souss-Massa regions. Small-scale farmers and cooperatives hold the industry on their shoulders, with a majority of the country’s olive production taking place in rural areas. Olives make up a significant part of the country’s cuisine, either in their whole or oil forms, and are used in dressings and dippings.
10. United States of America
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $44 million
The United States of America takes the tenth spot on our list of the countries that produce the best olives in the world. Although the olive industry in the US is dominated by large-scale industrial procedures and producers, a number of artisanal, small-scale producers also contribute to the sector. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strict guidelines for producing and labeling olive products to ensure their quality. Such guidelines also ensure that the consumers have an accurate idea of what they consume. California is the largest producer of extra virgin olive oil in the country, with producers using a variety of cultivars, including Koroneiki and Arbequina.
9. Chile
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $55 million
Chile is a long, narrow South American country that stretches across the continent’s western edge. It shares more than 6,000 kilometers of coastline with the Pacific Ocean. Its capital, Santiago, lies in a valley with the Andes and Chilean Coast Range mountains surrounding it. The country is a significant player in the olive industry, and produces high-quality olive oil. The country’s northern region plays an integral part in the sector as its soil is highly suitable for olive growing, and the region has a favorable climate. The Chilean government is promoting the oil industry to diversify its agriculture industry.
8. France
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $69 million
France holds the eighth spot on our list of the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world. The country’s southern regions take the lead in olive oil production, especially the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and regions such as Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence. In 2021, France exported olive oil worth $69 million and imported olive oil worth $568 million. These import and export statistics make it a prominent country in the olive industry.
7. Argentina
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $93 million
Argentina lies in the southern wing of South America, and has a population of 46.23 million as of 2022, according to estimates by the World Bank. Although the country is a relatively new player in the industry, it conducted olive oil exports worth $93 million and olive oil imports worth $5.1 million in 2021. The extra virgin olive oil produced in the Mendoza region of the country holds a protected geographical indication (PGI) status proffered by the government of Argentina in March 2022. That is because the region produces the native Arauco variety of olives, which are famous for their premium-quality oil.
6. Turkey
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $170 million
Turkey has a long history with olives, which are an essential part of the country’s transcontinental cuisine. The country’s most significant and prevalent olives varieties include Gemlik, Ayvalik, and Memecik. Turkey’s extra virgin olive oil export has sharply increased, as it exported around 58,000 tons of olive oil during the 2021-2022 crop season. The United States is the largest importer of olive oil made in Turkey, which is usually extracted through the latter’s traditional method of extraction by stone. Turkish premium quality olives and olive oils are expected to continue on a positive export growth trajectory.
5. Tunisia
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $600 million
With olive oil exports valued at $600 million as of 2021, Tunisia takes the fifth spot on our list of the countries that produce the best olives in the world. It is the northernmost country on the African continent and is a part of North Africa’s Maghreb region. Tunisia boasts a variety of premium olive kinds, with the most popular being Chétoui and Chemlali. The country’s olive oil is known for its healthy polyphenols. Tunisia is also one of the most significant exporters of olive oil globally. It exported around 205,000 tons of olive oil from its production of 240,000 tons in 2021, which accounted for nearly 7.15% of the total global olive oil exports.
4. Greece
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $671 million
Greece ranks fourth on our list of the top olive-producing countries in the world. The country boasts a long history of cultivating olives, and has a rich cuisine which seldom includes them. It has an annual average olive oil production of 430,000 tones, and exports olive oil worth $671 million in 2021. Research suggests that around 75% of the total production in the country consists of extra virgin olive oil. Greece conducts around 8.01% of the total global olive oil exports, most of which is exported to European countries. However, it also exports oil to other parts of the world, including the US and Canada.
3. Portugal
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $829 million
The third spot on our list of the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world is held by Portugal. The country’s olive oil production is typically concentrated in the Trás-os-Montes and Alentejo districts. Several kinds of olives are cultivated in Portugal, some of which include Cobrançosa, Cordovil de Serpa, Galician, Madural, and Verdeal. In 2021, the country conducted olive oil exports worth $829 million, making olive oil the 16th most exported item in the country. Much of these exports were carried out to Spain, Italy, Brazil, France, and the US.
2. Italy
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $1.73 billion
Italy is one of the world’s top producers of olives and olive oil, with exports worth $1.73 billion as of 2021. Some of its significant olive oil-producing regions include Calabria, Puglia, and Sicily. Italy is known for growing fruity-flavored olives, such as the Frantoio, Pendolino, and Leccino varieties. Apart from extra virgin olive oil, the country is also famous for other kinds of olive oil, such as refined olive oil for cooking and lampante oil for industrial purposes.
1. Spain
Olive Oil Exports as of 2021: $3.87 billion
Spain ranks first on our list of the 12 countries that produce the best olives in the world. It is the world’s largest exporter of extra virgin olive oil, accounting for a market share of 46.21%. In fact, data by the International Olive Council (IOC) suggests that Spain produces around 40% of the global olive oil. The country’s primary olive and olive oil-producing regions include Andalusia, La Mancha, and Extremadura.
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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
