What’s Special About Italian Olive Oil?
Italy is the second producer of olive oil in the world after Spain. On average, 464.000 tons of Italian olive oil are produced every year. In Italy there are 41 PDO areas. PDO (protected denomination of origin) is a protection mark assigned by the EU to food products whose peculiar characteristics depends on the area of production. This means that the Italian olive oil from Puglia is different from the one from Umbria. Even within the same region, you will have sub-areas with products and traditions different from each other. Italian Olive Oil Production in Detail In Italy two millions of hectares (around 2.5 millions of acres) are dedicated to olive farming , both exclusively or in conjunction with other species, usually grapevine, citrus fruits and almonds. The presence of other species, trees, fruit trees and herbs, contributes to the final aroma of the extra virgin olive oil. The south of Italy accounts for about 78% of the production, followed by the central regions (20%) and fi