Extra virgin olive oil is a Mediterranean diet reference. Have you ever wondered how many olives are needed to produce a liter of olive oil?
The answer is different if we are talking about olive oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Olive oil is a natural juice, obtained by squeezing olives, in the same way that other fruit juices are obtained by squeezing them.
The oil content of an olive is about 20%. Thus, to obtain one liter of olive oil, between 4 and 5 kilos of olives are required. On the other hand, for Premium extra virgin olive oils ( such as GOYA® Unico and Organics), this percentage is reduced and can reach half, which translates into the use of 8 or 10 kilos of fruit.
An olive tree usually harvests an average of 20 to 25 kilos of olives per season. Thus, the average would be 4 and 5 liters of olive oil/olive tree per season, compared to 2 and 3 liters of premium EVOO.
Factors affecting tree production
The number of olives needed to produce one liter of oil is not fixed; it depends on several factors that directly affect the quality and quantity of oil extracted: age of the olive tree and variety of olives, climate, cultivation and maturity of the olive fruit.
Young olive trees (less than 10 years old) produce fewer olives than more mature olive trees (between 30 and 50 years old), which are usually at their peak yield. However, very old olive trees may show a decrease in productivity. In addition, a phenomenon known as “vecería” happens in the olive grove, in which, after an excellent harvest year, there is another one with worse results, since the tree is exhausted and needs a little time to return to its full splendor.
As for the olive varieties, each one provides a different yield. While the picual and picuda varieties offer a higher yield to produce EVOO, the arbequina and manzanilla varieties have a medium yield, and the hojiblanca offers a lower yield, although of superior quality.
If we analyze the climate, we must consider factors as temperature and rains. The Mediterranean climate is ideal for olive trees, but late frosts, extreme heat waves or lack of rainfall directly affect the fat content of the olives. Likewise, moderate rainfall during olive growth favors olive size and quality, although excess water can dilute the essential oils.
Finally, traditional versus intensive cultivation and harvesting methods, with a focus on manual harvesting and the ripeness of the olives, favor the production of quality EVOO.
Each bottle of EVOO offers a unique product of exceptional quality. Enjoy its flavor and nuances obtained from the best olives harvested in the south of Spain.