Morocco, World’s Fifth Largest Olive Oil Producer

Morocco, with an annual production of 140,000 tons, ranks fifth in the list of the world’s largest olive oil producers and exporters, several Moroccan media outlets said.

Only six years after the launch of the Green Morocco Plan to boost agricultural production, Morocco managed to bolster its olive production by 70% from 783,000 tons in 2009 to 1,326,000 tons in 2015.

As part of the Green Morocco Plan, olive cultivation grew between 2009 and 2015 by an annual average of 37,420 hectares to cover more than 224,500 hectares currently.

Morocco’s olive oil production competitiveness is fostered by the cost effectiveness. A study by the International Olive Culture shows that Morocco ranks among 15 countries with the most cost-effective olive oil production. The study shows that Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia have the lowest olive oil production costs.

The Green Morocco Plan started in 2008 is designed to transform the agricultural sector into a stable source of growth, competitiveness and inclusive economic development. The Green Morocco plan set a target of 1.2 million hectares of planted olive area and 2.5 million metric tons of oil produced by 2020.