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Olive Oil Times reported, citing a new study, that global olive oil production reached a record level of 3.5 million tonnes in the 2024/25 season.
A report published on 26 November said that although the figure remains provisional, it would surpass the previous record set in the 2021/22 season, when total output reached 3.415 million tonnes. The estimate was also well above the five-year average of 3 million tonnes, and roughly 36% higher than the low production seen in the 2023/24 season.
The study, published by Spain's Agrobank in collaboration with the Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC) and citing European Commission data, highlighted the continued expansion of olive oil production outside the European Union.
In the 2024/25 season, producers outside the EU accounted for 40% of global output. By comparison, their share stood at 33% in the 2021/22 season, according to International Olive Council (IOC) data.
The Agrobank and Olive Oil World Congress study noted that 58 countries across five continents now produce olive oil, including new entrants such as El Salvador, Ethiopia, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and North Macedonia.
The research team also highlighted rising olive oil consumption in non-producing countries, which now account for around 30% of global demand at the time the report was compiled. According to the report, olive oil in these markets typically sells at higher prices and is often positioned as a premium product.
Olive Oil Times reported that across the Mediterranean, nearly 90% of olive oil sales are channelled through major retailers, with 60% to 70% sold under private label brands. The report estimated that 5% of Mediterranean sales fall into the higher-quality category, a share that has stabilised and is growing slightly each year, forming a niche market for specialised producers.
While acknowledging that global olive oil consumption has recently stabilised or declined, the authors said European Commission data showed that after years of steady growth since 2015, demand levelled off at around 3 million tonnes before easing back over the past few years.
Both EU and non-EU markets contributed to this trend: EU consumption for the 2024/25 season was projected at around 1.42 million tonnes, while non-EU markets were expected to reach 1.64 million tonnes, reflecting modest gains.
Olive Oil Times said the data pointed to a mature global market undergoing short-term demand adjustments shaped by supply chain efficiency, food culture, and the pricing of competing commodities.
Focusing on Spain, the report confirmed that the country once again led global production in the 2024/25 season. Spain's olive-growing area spans 2.7 million hectares, part of roughly 11.7 million hectares planted worldwide.
Nearly 400,000 people in Spain own olive groves, 69% of which are located in rain-fed, low-yield or hillside areas. Alongside its vast traditional groves, Spain has led the global expansion of intensive and super-intensive irrigated systems, according to the report.
These groves, concentrated in Andalusia and Extremadura, have mechanised harvest rates exceeding 90% and planting densities of between 1,600 and 2,000 trees per hectare. Olive Oil Times said such methods are increasingly being adopted worldwide, often paired with advanced farming technologies.
Water availability remains a key constraint, but in Spain, tools such as GPS-guided planting and sensor-based irrigation now cover most of the cultivated area.
Source: Olive Oil Times