Spain and the Olive Tree Business

Spain had expanded its olive tree production in the years before our visit. As of 2016, Spain produced about 50% of the world's exported olive oil. 

A mature olive tree is almost a piece of art as in the first image.

However, to profitably produce, olive trees are raised on olive tree nurseries as in the second image and planted in olive tree farms as in the third image. 


The nearly uniform height of the trees allows mechanical devices to be used efficiently in the harvest.

While in the bus in southern Spain we saw many tree farms in various stages of maturity.  

We also saw many local retail olive oil businesses (last image - Ann wasn't happy at the time)

The olive production in Spain is efficient enough that it has driven the price of olive oil down to levels that threaten the industry in many other countries. However, trees are vulnerable to bacterial attack since they are close together and uniform in sub species, height, production quality, etc. 

Notwithstanding the increase in olive oil production, Spain's unemployment rate has remained high for years. Since 2010, it has been above 16% and in 2013, it hit 26%.