Greece is the world’s biggest exporter of extra virgin oil oil

beautiful and endearing part of the local landscape, olive trees, both wild and cultivated, cover the Greek hills with their pale and distinctive grey-green foliage. Virtually synonymous with the Greek way of life for centuries, the olive tree has spawned countless products that have now been welcomed overseas with open arms.

At the top of the list is olive oil, very much a local speciality and commanding great respect on supermarket shelves both in the United States and around the world.
Greece’s position and reputation as an exporter is growing, due to the high quality of its products. Today, it ranks with Spain and Italy as a world leader in olive oil production. Greece has emerged as the world’s biggest exporter of extra virgin olive oil. More than 70% of total Greek production is extra virgin and half of that is sent to other olive oil producing countries —including Spain and Italy.

A 4,000-year-old Greek traditional product, olive oil is rooted in the history and mythology of ancient Greece. The myth goes that Ancient Athena, goddess of wisdom, was challenged by Poseidon to provide the Greeks with the most useful divine gift. He produced warhorses, but Athena won with her creation, the olive tree.
Today, extra virgin olive oil especially is flagged by nutritionists around the globe for its positive benefits as part of a balanced diet. The versatile fruit and its oil have been found to reduce cholesterol as well as impart their distinctive taste to Mediterranean cuisine.

Ever since health experts acknowledged the benefits of olive oil, cookery books have incorporated it wherever possible into Greek and hybrid recipes, to replace butter, margarine, or less interesting cooking oils. The use of extra virgin olive oil is best suited for salads and as a dip with spices, for its finesse, smooth characteristics, and low acidity. It can be used either raw or in cooking to add flavor, aroma, and taste.

In Greece, as elsewhere in the Mediterranean region, good olive oil is as revered as fine wine. Local producers have turned the production of olive oil into something of an art form.

In recent years, this has been translated into export success as foreign demand for quality local produce soars. In some markets, Greek oil is typically less expensive than products from other Mediterranean producers.