Olive oil: EU exports to the USA down by 18%
March 30, 2026 at 4:30 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Export volumes slightly below last year
More than five and a half months into the season, olive oil shipments from EU countries to third countries are down compared with the same period last year. Between 1 October 2025 and 22 March 2026, the EU exported a total of 273,638 mt of olive oil (EU categories 1 to 5, treated and untreated); despite a 2.1% decline, shipments remain the third-best result for this period so far. The export value, however, slumped by around a quarter due to lower prices, standing at EUR 1.562 billion. The average export price during the aforementioned period was EUR 5.71/kg, whereas it had stood at EUR 7.53/kg in the previous year.
Over the past three years, Greece had massively increased its olive oil exports to the US, but these fell significantly again this season. Overall, with 85,539 mt, the US imported far less olive oil from the EU this season than in previous years (2022/23 to 2024/25: 100,000–120,000 mt).
At 145,528 mt, more than half of EU exports originated from Spain (+7.6% year-on-year), followed by Italy (-7.4% to 91,796 mt), Portugal (-11.6% to 23,666 mt) and Greece (-59.9% to 4,555 mt). Around 31% of EU shipments, totalling 85,539 mt, went to the USA (-18% year-on-year); other major destination countries were the UK (-11.9% to 26,869 mt), Brazil (+1% to 24,242 mt) and Korea (+37.9% to 15,420 mt) .
Meanwhile, EU imports during the aforementioned period amounted to 38,054 mt of olive oil (+0.2% year-on-year) worth EUR 142.852 million (-16.9% year-on-year). At 20,737 mt, 54.5% of shipments came from Tunisia, a further 21.6% from Morocco, whilst Turkey exported just 270 mt of olive oil to the EU – around 72% less than in the same period last year.
|
EU olive oil exports, in mt |
|||
|
Partner |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Spain |
135,289 |
145,528 |
7.6% |
|
Italy |
99,174 |
91,796 |
-7.4% |
|
Portugal |
26,782 |
23,666 |
-11.6% |
|
Greece |
11,369 |
4,555 |
-59.9% |
|
Belgium |
2,039 |
2,288 |
12.2% |
|
Others |
4,897 |
5,805 |
18.5% |
|
Total |
279,550 |
273,638 |
-2.1% |
|
DG AGRI TAXUD Customs Surveillance System, 01/10-22/03 15092000+15093000+15094000+15099000 Olive oil |
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Accurate crop estimates are important
The Turkish olive oil sector gathered at the “Olive and Olive Oil Sector Meeting”, organised by the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association. A roadmap for the sector’s future was drawn up at the event. The Turkish olive oil sector has lost export momentum over the past two seasons and aims to overcome the sales slump with a precisely determined crop estimate. The meeting also highlighted the importance of the export quota for shipments to the EU.
Industry representatives stressed that inaccurate yield data has a negative impact on export strategies and emphasised the need for scientific measurement methods. The EU quota of 100 mt applicable to Turkey was criticised as a major obstacle, particularly when compared to the far larger duty-free quotas applicable to North African countries.
Increasing exports of packaged products, promoting varieties with geographical indications, and introducing traceability systems using QR codes were presented as key strategies for adding value to Turkish olive oil. At the workshop in Antalya, a 30-point roadmap was presented, focusing on quality standardisation, sustainable agriculture, the integration of tourism, and the production of oils with a high polyphenol content.
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