Olive oil is one of the most popular agricultural and food products in the world, both for its nutritional properties and for its cultural and historical importance. Its global consumption has been steadily increasing for decades due to a growing awareness of healthy eating and interest in the Mediterranean diet. This growth is particularly evident in non-olive oil producing countries such as the USA, Japan, Brazil or China, where olive oil is no longer just a gastronomic product but part of everyday consumption.
Despite the international expansion of the olive oil market, production is still heavily concentrated in the Mediterranean region. In 2024 and 2025, around 80% of the world’s olive oil will still come from a small group of countries: Spain, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco and Portugal, as the chart shows:
Während andere größter Olivenölproduzent wie Syrien, Algerien, Argentinien und Chile geringere Mengen ausmachen werden:
This strong regional dominance has historical, climatic and agronomic reasons, as olive growing is a traditional long-cycle crop that requires well-drained soils, mild winters and hot summers.
The 2024-2025 season was characterized by a remarkable recovery in global production, after a disastrous previous year caused by a widespread drought in Southern Europe and North Africa. However, prices remained at an above-average level due to low stocks, high production costs and tensions on the international markets.
Who is currently the largest olive oil producer? Aceites de las Heras takes a global look at each of the most important countries.
Which is the largest olive oil producing country?
As already mentioned, the largest number of olive oil producers is heavily concentrated in the Mediterranean region, where climatic conditions, agricultural tradition and technical know-how have favored the development of a strong and diversified industry.
Although olive cultivation has expanded to other regions of the world in recent years, a few countries account for the majority of the global volume. The following section takes a closer look at each of the olive oil producing countries in order to better understand their role on the international market and the specific characteristics of each origin:
1. Spain: largest olive oil producer
First of all, Spain is by far the largest olive oil producer in the world. In recent years, its production has fluctuated between 660,000 and 1.8 million tons, depending mainly on weather conditions. For the 2024-2025 season, Spanish production is estimated at 1,420 tons, representing a significant share of global production and an increase of 66% compared to the same period last year.
Spain stands out not only for its volume, but also for its technical modernization. In recent years, traditional olive groves have been transformed into more efficient models: Hedges, mechanized harvesting and mills with integrated quality control. The most widespread variety is Picual, but others such as Arbequina, Hojiblanca and Cornicabra also play an important role.
2 Turkey: a volatile growth market
With growth of 109% compared to the previous season, Turkey is in second place. Turkey’s production, which is characterized by large fluctuations, is estimated at 450,000 tons for the 2024-2025 season, a recovery from the declining figures that characterized previous seasons.
Turkey, for its part, has a large olive-growing area, particularly in the Aegean region, but still faces technical and logistical challenges to establish itself as a stable exporter. Therefore, the Turkish government is making efforts to promote new plantings, which is contributing to a rapid increase in domestic consumption and the transformation of the sector.
3. Tunisia: emerging power in north africa
Tunisia has improved its position in the ranking of the largest olive oil producers and increased its production by 55% compared to the previous season, becoming the third largest market in the world thanks to an active policy to develop olive cultivation. For 2025, production is estimated at around 340 tons thanks to favorable climatic conditions. The majority of Tunisian oil is exported in bulk, mainly to the European Union, where it is often relabeled with Italian or Spanish brand names.
Tunisian olive cultivation combines traditional practices with new high-density plantations. The Sahel and Sfax regions are the main production centers.
4 Greece: An ancient olive cultivation
Greece is the fourth largest producer of olive oil with an average market volume of 200,000 to 300,000 tons of oil per year. In the current season, 250 tons were produced, 43% more than last year, due to favorable weather conditions in the south of the country. Greece has the highest per capita consumption of olive oil in the world, so a large proportion of production is destined for the domestic market.
The olive tree is deeply rooted in Greek agricultural culture, with a strong presence in Crete, the Peloponnese and several islands. Greek olive oil is known for its mild flavor and low acidity, characteristics that are highly valued in markets such as Germany and the USA.
5. Italy: An oil that stands out for tradition and quality
Italy is another major olive oil producer, ranking fifth in the 2024-2025 season with an estimated production of 248 tons, 24% less than the previous year. It is important to note that Italian production can fluctuate greatly from year to year and can be affected by diseases such as Xylella fastidiosa, heatwaves and unseasonal rainfall. Nevertheless, Italy continues to enjoy a solid international reputation as a producer of top quality olive oil, closely linked to protected designations of origin and indigenous varieties.
The Italian olive grove is fragmented into small, often family-run operations where traditional methods prevail. Regions such as Tuscany, Puglia, Calabria and Sicily are the most productive and best known.
6 Portugal: Powerful growth
Portugal has significantly improved its position in the ranking of olive oil producers over the last decade. Although its volume is still modest compared to its neighbors, it will reach a record 195000 tons in 2024-25. This improvement is due to the strong development of irrigated olive groves, particularly in the Alentejo, where hedgerow cultivation systems similar to those in Spain have been introduced.
Portuguese oil is gaining market share in countries such as Brazil and France and has developed quality brands associated with appellations such as “Azeite do Alentejo” or “Azeite de Trás-os-Montes”.
7 Syria: Surprising consistency
With an estimated production of 105 tons, Syria is the seventh largest olive oil producer in the 2024-2025 marketing year, even taking into account the instability caused by its internal conflict.
8 Morocco: Strategic expansion
Finally, Morocco ranks last in the ranking of the largest olive oil producers for the 2024-2025 campaign, with 15% less than the previous year, with an estimated production of 90,000 tons.
However, the Moroccan government has launched agricultural development plans that include olive oil as a priority crop. Regions such as Meknès and Fès, for their part, are leaders in national production.
More specifically, Morocco exports mainly to Europe and the Middle East and is diversifying its supply with high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
In the southern hemisphere, Argentina and Chile have established themselves as off-season exporters with a production of 40,000 to 50,000 tons per year. Australia, the USA, Egypt and Iran are other up-and-coming countries that are likely to become the largest olive oil producers in the coming years.
Spain: one of the biggest olive oil producers
As we have already seen, Spain is the absolute leader in the international ranking of the world’s largest olive oil producers. Although the estimates for this year’s marketing year are still below the historical potential – which can reach up to 1.8 million tons in exceptional marketing years such as 2018/2019 – this represents a strong recovery after two consecutive years of significant decline. This improvement comes against the backdrop of a general recovery in global production, particularly in the Mediterranean countries, following a period of severe drought and rising costs for agricultural inputs.
According to the European Commission’s latest report and taking into account the above figures, the current marketing year shows very positive signs both in terms of production and marketing. The quantities of olive oil available have increased by 30% in the EU and 36% outside the EU compared to the previous marketing year. At the end of January 2025, EU production was around 2.1 million tons, while production in third countries amounted to around 1.4 million tons.
Of this volume, Spain accounted for around 59% of total EU olive oil production and 41% of global production.
What characterizes Spanish olive oil?
Specifically, Spanish olive oil is internationally renowned for its diversity, quality and strong cultural roots. This richness stems both from the variety of ecosystems present in the country and from the wide range of traditional cultivars that have adapted to each area over the centuries. The result is a wide range of flavors that offers oils for all kinds of culinary uses, from frying to gastronomic preparations.
In Spain there are over 260 varieties, the most representative being:
- Picual, the most widespread and characteristic oil of Andalusia, is prized for its intensity, body and balanced bitterness. It is characterized by its high content of natural antioxidants and its stability to oxidation, which makes it the ideal variety for frying, preserving and high temperature preparations.
- Arbequina, originally from Catalonia but extended to many other regions, offers mild, fruity and less bitter oils that are very popular to be eaten raw, in salads, on toast and in dishes where an aromatic profile is desired without the flavor dominating.
- Hojiblanca, typical of areas such as Córdoba and Málaga, is a versatile variety that produces oils with grassy and slightly sweet notes with a final touch of spiciness. Its balance makes it suitable for everyday cooking as well as for raw use.
- Cornicabra, which is predominant in Castilla-La Mancha, produces an intense oil with moderately bitter and spicy notes and a high resistance to oxidation. This variety is particularly suitable for stews and traditional dishes due to its longevity and stability.
There are also numerous other local varieties such as Empeltre, Lechín, Farga or Verdial, all of which have their own characteristics and adapt to the agroclimatic conditions of their region of origin.
In addition, Spain has more than 30 Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) that recognize and guarantee the quality, authenticity and traceability of the oils produced under their regulations. These PDOs not only certify the geographical origin of the product, but also reflect the traditional cultivation methods, careful harvesting practices and production processes that respect the country’s oil-growing heritage.
This diversity and richness make Spanish olive oil one of the most popular products on international markets, synonymous with excellence, tradition and innovation.
Outstanding geographical areas in Spanish olive oil production
The geographical areas that stand out in olive oil production are widely distributed, although they are concentrated in some key regions of the country.
Andalusia is undoubtedly the epicenter of this industry, accounting for over 70% of the national volume. Within this region, Jaén positions itself as the world’s largest producer and is known as the “world capital of olive oil”. Córdoba and Seville also play an important role, with a combination of traditional olive groves and more modern operations that rely on mechanization and efficiency.
Beyond Andalusia, other regions also make a strong contribution to the map of Spanish olive oil. Castilla-La Mancha is characterized by the size of its olive groves, especially in the provinces of Ciudad Real and Toledo, where the Cornicabra variety predominates, and by a diversified production model with large farms and small producers.
Extremadura, whose significant production is concentrated in the province of Badajoz, is known for its commitment to quality, particularly through the “Gata-Hurdes” designation of origin.
In the northeast, Catalonia, especially Lérida and Tarragona, stands out for its quality oils with their own personality, such as those protected by the PDO Les Garrigues or Siurana. These oils come from companies that are often family-run businesses, where tradition and craftsmanship are of paramount importance.
The Region of Valencia is increasingly recognized at a national level. Regions such as Utiel-Requena are investing in the modernization of cultivation and in the production of high-quality extra virgin olive oils, many of which have won awards in national and international competitions. The indigenous Farga variety, in turn, coexists with other varieties such as Arbequina or Picual, producing oils with their own nuances and a strong Mediterranean identity.
Aceites de las Heras, a renowned and long-standing Spanish olive oil producer from the Utiel-Requena region, stands out as one of the professionals who not only focus on innovation in production and modernization of cultivation, but also on a marketing strategy based exclusively and solely on 100% Spanish oil, always guaranteeing the highest quality of the product.
Spain is undoubtedly one of the largest olive oil producers in the world, not only in terms of quantity, but also in terms of innovation, quality and exports. Its role as one of the most important players in the sector is undisputed and it closely follows developments in the global olive oil market.
