16 Global olive oil consumption: trends and challenges JAIME LILLO AND JULIA ÁLVAREZ International Olive Council (IOC) volatility. This phenomenon is closely linked to adverse climatic factors, such as prolonged droughts, extreme temperatures and significant reductions in harvests in the main producing countries. These fluctuations have become more pronounced in recent years as a result of the impact of climate change in the Mediterranean basin. This has led to greater Olive oil is not only an iconic product of our gastronomy, with deep roots in the culture and tradition of the Mediterranean basin; it is also a product increasingly recognised by consumers worldwide. Beyond its cultural and gastronomic significance, olive oil has established itself as a product of growing importance in global agri-food trade, subject to the pressures and opportunities inherent in an increasingly interconnected market. Its current development reflects three major interrelated trends: price volatility, Current developments reflect three major interrelated trends: price volatility, the rising value of the product, and expansion into new markets uncertainty for both producers and consumers, with changes in supply expectations and increased pressure on prices. However, this context of instability has also fostered more sophisticated planning strategies, diversification and risk management due to climatic and production factors; the increase in product value, driven by a preference for higherquality olive oils with added value; and expansion into new markets, which is altering global consumption patterns and generating new opportunities for medium- and long-term growth. A volatile market against a backdrop of structu ral growth The first major trend shaping recent developments in the olive oil sector is the growing market within the sector, reinforcing its professionalisation. This challenge is part of a clearly expansionary structural trend. Over the last three decades, both global production and consumption of olive oil have almost tripled, reflecting the product’s gradual consolidation within the international agri-food market. Production rose from 1,453,000 tonnes in the 1990/91 marketing year to 3,572,000 in 2024/25, whilst global consumption increased from 1,666,500 to 3,215 thousand tonnes over the same period.
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