Greece Becomes EU's Second-Largest Olive Oil Producer After Spain

After several years of drought, Greek olive oil producers finally have a reason to celebrate. The country has concluded its olive oil campaign with results exceeding expectations from the European Commission.

Production for the current season is estimated to reach 250,000 tons, surpassing the 229,500 tons projected by the European Commission’s Olive Oil and Table Olives Market Observatory.

This year's harvest represents a doubling of last season’s output, which had been severely affected by prolonged drought. While some regions reported lower-than-expected yields due to adverse weather conditions, overall olive oil production in Greece has remained strong, with producers celebrating not only the quantity but also the high quality of the olives.

“We’ve produced twice as much olive oil this year from our Megaritiki olive trees compared to last year,” Kounouvelis told Olive Oil Times. “So far, the quality has been excellent, with oil acidity levels in our area reaching only 0.2 to 0.3 percent.”

Across Europe, olive oil production is expected to rise by 32 percent compared to the previous season, reaching nearly two million tons.