Thirty years ago, the presence of a producer from Nigeria or Australia at a global olive oil congress would have seemed unthinkable. Next July, however, they will be together in Lisbon. Professionals from Georgia, Palestine, Jordan and Pakistan will also be attending. In total, nearly 300 experts from more than 40 countries across five continents will gather on 2 and 3 July at the Belém Cultural Centre to participate in the Olive Oil World Congress (OOWC), the leading international forum dedicated to olive growing and the olive oil industry. The map of the olive sector is no longer drawn solely around the Mediterranean; it now extends far beyond it, and Lisbon is about to demonstrate just how far.
The presence of countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Oceania is far from symbolic; it reflects the profound transformation currently taking place across the global olive sector. Countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia have been investing for years in expanding their olive-growing areas and modernising their production and extraction systems.
They are joined by Egypt, Türkiye and Jordan, which continue to strengthen their production and export capacities. Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile, Brazil and Australia are developing highly advanced cultivation models that are beginning to attract international attention thanks to their high yields and competitiveness.
Olive oil, traditionally associated with the Mediterranean basin, is now a productive reality across all five continents. This paradigm shift is reshaping the global olive sector. In this new landscape, Spain continues and will continue to hold an undisputed leadership position thanks to its production capacity, expertise, innovation and the internationally recognised quality of its olive oils.
This growing internationalisation is also reflected in the congress registration figures. Portugal, the host country, currently leads participation with more than 75 registered operators, followed by Spain, with 68 professionals registered to date. They are followed by Pakistan, with 7 operators; Iran, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, with 5 representatives each; Greece, Egypt and Türkiye, with 3 operators each; and Jordan, with 3 participants. Completing the list are Chile, Brazil and Australia, with one representative each, highlighting the growing international interest and prominence of the olive sector.
In addition, participants from new markets are expected to join in the coming weeks, further reinforcing the global character of the event and consolidating the World Olive Oil Congress as the leading international forum for discussing the present and future of the sector.
The Spanish professionals registered for the OOWC come from all producing regions, although particular mention should be made of the 12 olive growers and millers from the Madrid region, who will attend as part of an Agricultural Erasmus Programme organised by the regional government. Every year, IMIDRA and the Madrid Agricultural Chamber take producers and technicians from Madrid to learn first-hand about the most advanced models in other European countries. On this occasion, they have chosen Portugal, where they will combine visits to Portuguese olive farms and cooperatives with participation in the Congress.
The Belém Cultural Centre, built to commemorate the voyages that connected continents and cultures, could not be a more fitting venue. Because that is precisely what the Olive Oil World Congress seeks to achieve: bringing together experts from around the world—both from countries that have been producing olive oil for millennia and from those that planted their first olive trees only a few decades ago—to discuss and analyse together the future direction of the sector.
All individuals, companies and public or private institutions from the olive sector interested in participating in the Congress can register through the following link: https://www.oliveoilworldcongress.com/inscription
The Congress already enjoys the institutional support of the International Olive Council (IOC), CIHEAM Zaragoza, and the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, together with public bodies such as the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs, the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha (“Campo y Alma”), the Government of Catalonia, and IMIDRA.
On the private sector side, this second edition is currently supported, in addition to Olivum, by organisations including AgroBank, the Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional Organisation, GEA Group, Novonesis, APOAC (Association for the Promotion of Olive Groves and Olive Oil of Aire and Candeeiros) through its commercial brand “Olivedos do Carso”, Adsaica (Association for the Development of the Aire and Candeeiros Mountain Range), Feria de Zaragoza (ENOMAQ), Kubota, Dazeite, and Siliker. OlivoGestão also supports the event as sponsor of the Scientific Poster Competition.
The OOWC invites all interested stakeholders to become part of this international collaborative project, encouraging them to explore the various sponsorship and cooperation opportunities available. Further information can be obtained through the OOWC Technical Secretariat by calling +34 91 721 79 29 or emailing info@oliveoilwc.com.
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