Olive oil, the Mediterranean and the world

Abstract

In the last thirty years there has been a growing interest in the use of olive oil in cooking because of greater knowledge of Mediterranean foods and an awareness of the healthy virtues of a Mediterranean diet, and particularly olive oil. In spite of this the consumption of olive oil is negligible outside the Mediterranean region, where most of the world's olive oil is produced and consumed, and which provides nearly all exports and receives a majority of the imports. This seems to be due to the very demanding climatic requirements of the olive tree and the fact that virtually all olive trees are grown in a Mediterranean-type climate. Although the olive tree was taken to areas with a similar climate during the European expansion after 1492, it has never become an important part of the diet in the Americas, in spite of the role of Mediterranean populations settling in the continent. The very high cost of olive oil compared with oilseeds has made its penetration of non-Mediterranean markets very difficult, and indeed the consumption of olive oil has declined in the face of such competition even in some of the Mediterranean countries.