Egypt as a Global Olive and Olive Oil Powerhouse

Updated 11/23/2024 9:00:00 AM

Olive cultivation has been known in Egypt since the Pharaohs’ era, during which olive trees were grown in areas currently known as Fayoum, Siwa Oasis, and Wadi El Natrun. Over time, and thanks to its Mediterranean climate, Egypt has become one of the major players in the international olive and olive oil markets.

Despite the climate change challenges faced by olive-producing countries in the Mediterranean basin, Egypt has made remarkable efforts, successfully boosting the number of planted olive trees from 25 million in 2015 to a record of around 60 million today.

In this Factsheet, we will dive deeper into the olive and olive oil market in Egypt and identify the country’s global position as producer and exporter.

Egypt grows various types of olives, both local and foreign, including Tofahy, Aggizi, Manzanilla, and Kalamata, among others. The olive harvest season runs from August to late November. Olives can be picked when they are green, fully ripe, black, or at any stage in between. The harvest timing is crucial to the flavor, color, and texture of olives.
The olive cultivation area in Egypt expanded by 4% from 257,896 feddans in 2020/2021 to 268,124 feddans in 2021/2022, representing 16% of the total fruit varieties area.
Olives are cultivated in 23 locations in Egypt. In the 2021/2022 season, Matruh, Noubaria, and Ismailia had the largest areas cultivated with olives. As for production, Noubaria contributed the most, with a share accounting for 28% of the total output, followed by Ismailia and Fayoum with 14% and 13%, respectively.
In the 2022/2023 season, global olive production was negatively affected by climate change, and so was Egypt. So, production declined by 8%, totaling 600,000 tons. Despite this fall, Egypt was the world’s second-largest olive producer after Türkiye, with a share of 22% of the global production.
In terms of olive exports, Egypt ranked 3^rd after Spain and Türkiye. In the 2022/2023 season, Egypt exported around 100,000 tons, representing 13% of the Mediterranean region's exports to the world.
Egypt has maintained an advanced position in the global olive oil market. In 2023, the country’s exports of various types of olive oil hit $20 million, marking a remarkable increase compared to 2022, when production was affected by climate change. Also, Egypt acquired a share of 0.2% of global olive oil exports and ranked 19^th among international exporters.

By: Amina Hussein