Today Spain is the leading producer and exporter of extra virgin olive oil in the world, with more than 300 million olive trees and an average annual production of 1.200.000 tons, reaching 1.400.000 in recent seasons (1.416.060 Tons in season 2003/04). Spain produce almost three times more than the next world producer of extra virgin olive oil, which is Italy with an average annual production lower than 500.000 Tons. It is interesting to note that the province of Jaén (where our land is situated) produces more extra virgin olive oil than the whole Greece.
Nevertheless, until a few years ago, Spanish extra virgin olive oil was relatively unknown since almost all of it was sold by bulk and packaged outside the country, for example in Italy.
Today, gradually, oil producers, and especially those of the best quality extra virgin oil, are packaging and placing their own names on the bottles. This is increasing considerably the knowledge and admiration for Spanish olive oil as an exceptional product. The culinary experts (from Spain, US, France…) all prefer and use Spanish extra virgin olive oils.
An informative campaign is taking place this year 2005 in USA, carried out by Spanish Trade Commission in NY informing about characteristics of Spanish Olive Oil. The objective is to be recognized as first source for extra virgin olive oil in the world (instead of Italy), and to educate American consumers about Spain’s long heritage in extra virgin olive oil production and inform them of the quality of Olive Oil from Spain so they make it their everyday olive oil choice.
It is expected that in the next years this informative campaign will be extended to other countries as Germany, China and India.
