Italy returns to the second step of the podium of world olive production for the 2021/2022 campaign. This was announced by Unaprol (Italian Olive Consortium) on the basis of official estimates released by the International Olive Council. Spain is the undisputed queen of the sector with almost 1.3 million tons produced, down 6.4% compared to last year. Our country, up 15% compared to last year despite a lower than expected campaign, is still very far from its maximum production potential. In fact, it has gone from 674 thousand tons of product in the 1991-92 campaign to 315 thousand in 2021-22, since it confirms the trend of the last ten years which saw the peak of the 475 thousand tons produced in the 2015-2016 campaign.

Greece, down by 18.2%, falls from second to fifth place, overtaken also by Tunisia and Turkey. The bronze medal-winning North African country recorded an increase of 71.4% to 240 thousand tonnes of product, while Turkey rose from 210 to 228 thousand tonnes (+8.3%). Among the other producer countries, Morocco did well, with its 200 thousand tonnes, increasing its olive production by 25%, while Portugal grew (+20%) and Algeria also showed significant growth (+39%).

"The data on world production make us reflect in the light of the enormous progress made in the last ten years by countries such as Tunisia, Turkey, Portugal", explains the president of Unaprol, David Granieri. "We have a duty to increase our production to increase production, quantity of 100% Italian quality oil, and in this sense it is necessary to make the most of the allocation of 30 million euros for the birth of new olive groves or the renewal of existing ones".