Olive oil import statistics: the world's largest importers

Q: Which country imports the most olive oil?

Among non-producers , the United States is the world's leading importer. Italy , although a producer, also imports large volumes to re-export and bottle .

Q: Why does Italy import oil when it produces it?

Because it bottles and re-exports under its brands far more than its national production alone. It therefore imports bulk from other origins — Spain, Greece, Tunisia — to supply its industry.

Q: Who are the large importers outside Europe?

The United States , Brazil , Japan , Canada , China and the Gulf countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia). Several are fast-growing markets (to be sourced ) .

Q: How much do the United States import?

Order of magnitude ~300 to 400 kt/year . It is the leading consumer market outside the Mediterranean basin, oriented towards quality and premium.

Q: Is the Gulf an attractive market?

Yes, fast-growing , with premium and halal demand. The exact volumes are to be sourced , but the potential is real for a halal-certified Tunisian exporter.

Q: What is the difference between a consumption market and a re-export hub?

A consumption market (USA, Brazil, Japan) imports for retail sale . A re-export hub (Italy) imports bulk to bottle and resell. The export strategy differs: brand vs bulk price.

Q: Where do these import statistics come from?

From national customs , the IOC and the Eurostat / Comtrade databases. They are dated and to be confirmed , as they are published with a lag and revised.

Q: Are these figures accurate?

They are orders of magnitude in wide ranges , deliberately conservative. The ranking and volumes vary by campaign. Verify at the source before any commercial targeting.

Q: Which market should I target for Tunisian organic oil?

Germany , Scandinavia , the USA (USDA certification) and Japan are known to demand organic and quality. Adapting the certifications is key.

Q: How do I target one of these markets?

By adapting certifications (FDA/FSMA, halal, organic), labelling and incoterms to the target country. Request a dated quote for a market-access analysis.

** Data as of: July 2026 — annual, to be verified with customs / IOC.**

Which countries import the most olive oil? On the import side, the world market is dominated by a small number of destinations: the United States (leading non-producing importer), Italy (which imports to re-export and bottle), Brazil, several non-producing European Union countries, Japan, Canada and the fast-growing Gulf markets. This page brings together the indicative import volumes by country, useful for targeting your export markets.

Import flows are volatile and published with a lag. The figures below are dated orders of magnitude, in wide ranges, to be confirmed with national customs, the IOC, Eurostat or Comtrade before any commercial targeting.

In brief

1st non-producing importer: the United States, the leading consumer market outside the Mediterranean basin.
Italy: large importer to re-export and bottle (the country imports more than it produces in some campaigns).
Brazil: leading import market in Latin America, growing.
Non-producing EU: Germany, France (net importer), United Kingdom, Netherlands, Nordic countries.
Asia & Gulf: Japan, China, South Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia — high-potential markets (to be sourced ).
Frequency: **annual ** data.

World's largest importers (orders of magnitude, kt/year)

Indicative import volumes, in thousands of tonnes (kt) per year. Wide hedged ranges — to be confirmed with official sources. The ranking varies depending on the campaigns and prices.

Country / zone	Order of magnitude import (kt/year)	Profile	Status
United States	~300 – 400	1st non-producing importer, premium	to be verified
Italy	~300 – 600	Imports to re-export / bottle	to be verified
Brazil	~50 – 120	1st Latin American market	to be verified
Germany	~50 – 80	Non-producing EU, quality/organic	to be verified
France	~90 – 130	Net importer	to be verified
United Kingdom	~50 – 70	Mature market	to be verified
Japan	~50 – 70	Premium, growing	to be verified
Canada	~30 – 50	Mediterranean communities	to be verified
Gulf (UAE, Saudi Arabia)	to be sourced	Fast growth, halal	to be sourced
China	~30 – 60	Emerging, high potential	to be verified

Quick read: two logics coexist. Final consumption markets (USA, Brazil, Japan, Gulf, non-producing EU) import to sell at retail. Re-export hubs (Italy above all) import in bulk to bottle and re-export under brand — part of it coming from Tunisia (see Tunisia's exports).

For a Tunisian exporter, targeting these destinations means adapting certifications (FDA/FSMA for the USA, halal for the Gulf, EU/USDA organic), labelling and incoterms. See the dedicated market sheets.

Two types of importers to distinguish

Consumption markets — import oil often packaged (or package it locally) for retail sale: USA, Brazil, Japan, Gulf, Germany, France… Challenge = brand, quality, certifications.
Re-export / bottling hubs — import mainly low-cost bulk to resell or bottle it: Italy is the typical example. Challenge = competitive bulk FOB price (see price observatory).

Understanding which category a target country belongs to helps you choose between bulk sale and branded packaged product.

Growing markets to watch

Beyond the historical importers, several markets are progressing:

Gulf (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) — rising premium and halal demand.
Asia (China, South Korea, Japan) — low per-capita consumption but rising, high volume potential.
North America — USA and Canada, mature markets but still growing on premium and organic.
Northern Europe — Germany, Scandinavia: quality/organic demand.

These trends are market orientations, to be confirmed with dated customs data.

Methodology & sources

Sources — national customs, the IOC (import/consumption balances), Eurostat and Comtrade databases for mirror flows.
Status — dated orders of magnitude, in wide hedged ranges. The ranking and volumes vary from one campaign to the next and depending on world prices.
Frequency — **annual ** update, with the usual lag of customs statistics.
No fabricated data — uncertain values are marked "to be verified " or "to be sourced ".

Are you targeting a specific market for your Tunisian olive oil? Request a dated quote and a market-access analysis.

Frequently asked questions

Which country imports the most olive oil?

Among non-producers, the United States is the world's leading importer. Italy, although a producer, also imports large volumes to re-export and bottle.

Why does Italy import oil when it produces it?

Because it bottles and re-exports under its brands far more than its national production alone. It therefore imports bulk from other origins — Spain, Greece, Tunisia — to supply its industry.

Who are the large importers outside Europe?

The United States, Brazil, Japan, Canada, China and the Gulf countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia). Several are fast-growing markets (to be sourced ).

How much do the United States import?

Order of magnitude ~300 to 400 kt/year. It is the leading consumer market outside the Mediterranean basin, oriented towards quality and premium.

Is the Gulf an attractive market?

Yes, fast-growing, with premium and halal demand. The exact volumes are **to be sourced **, but the potential is real for a halal-certified Tunisian exporter.

What is the difference between a consumption market and a re-export hub?

A consumption market (USA, Brazil, Japan) imports for retail sale. A re-export hub (Italy) imports bulk to bottle and resell. The export strategy differs: brand vs bulk price.

Where do these import statistics come from?

From national customs, the IOC and the Eurostat / Comtrade databases. They are dated and to be confirmed, as they are published with a lag and revised.

Are these figures accurate?

They are orders of magnitude in wide ranges, deliberately conservative. The ranking and volumes vary by campaign. Verify at the source before any commercial targeting.

Which market should I target for Tunisian organic oil?

Germany, Scandinavia, the USA (USDA certification) and Japan are known to demand organic and quality. Adapting the certifications is key.

How do I target one of these markets?

By adapting certifications (FDA/FSMA, halal, organic), labelling and incoterms to the target country. Request a dated quote for a market-access analysis.

Where can I see how much Tunisia exports to these countries?

On the Tunisia's exports page, which details volumes, destinations and the EU quota of 56,700 tonnes.

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Page in English. Data as of July 2026 — annual, to be verified. Orders of magnitude in wide ranges; no value fabricated.