China is making massive efforts to develop its national olive industry

China continues to develop its national olive industry in Yunyang, a region in Hubei Province located 930 km southwest of Beijing. Historically, it has been a pioneer in olive cultivation in China. The first 10,000 olive saplings were received as a gift from Albania in 1964. Despite this long history, the industry faces significant challenges.

As Li Peiyu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences notes, the sapling selection system is not ideal, and planting management technologies urgently require modernization and standardization. However, achievements include 11 new Chinese olive varieties adapted to local conditions.

China remains heavily dependent on imports, which account for 78% of its olive oil consumption. Liu Shenli, president of the China Agricultural Business Leaders Association, points out that only 30% of domestic edible oil consumption is met by domestic production, but this share is planned to increase significantly in the next five-year period.

The market demonstrates enormous potential. Expert Ender Gündüz estimates that there are 250 million potential olive oil consumers in China, primarily in urban areas. Statistics for 2024 show total edible oil consumption at 40 million tons, or approximately 29 kg per capita.

“If every Chinese person consumed 0.5 kg of olive oil per year, that would be a huge figure,” emphasizes Wang Ruiyuan of the China Grain and Oilseeds Association.

Particular attention is being paid to the development of domestic olive milling equipment to compete with Italian and Turkish brands. China can leverage its expertise in industrial robotics to reduce production costs while maintaining quality.

Adapting products to local culinary traditions is also becoming an important area.

Tags: China, olive oil