Syrian Production

Syria’s heritage and expertise has granted the country with a leading position in olive oil production. The soil and climate of Syria are ideal for the cultivation of olive trees. These favorable conditions combined with thousands of years of know-how and daily usage by its population granted Syria a leading position as the largest olive oil producer in the Middle East. With 87 million trees and about 3 million new trees planted each year, Syria is also the fifth largest producer on a worldwide scale.

Olive tree Cultivation

The olive tree holds a major place in Syrian agriculture, accounting for 65% of total fruit trees cultivated area and occupying 10% of total cultivated area. More than 200'000 families depend on the income of olive cultivation directly or indirectly. In 2006, the cultivated area of olives reached 581'000 hectares with 82 million trees. The production accounted for 880'000 tons of olives and 170'000 tons of oil in the season 2005-2006.

Olive trees distribution and main varieties in Syria

There are about 85 million olive trees in Syria, spread in different regions of Syria. The main areas of cultivation are Aleppo, Idelb, Tartous, Homs, Latakia, Hama, Dara and Damascus, accounting for 96% of total cultivation. Each region is characterized by its own olive oil quality and taste.