EU leads global olive oil consumption in 2010

(fotogiunta)

Global olive oil consumption in 2009/2010 hit 2.8 million tons, with EU consumption accounting for roughly 60 percent of the total.

European nations consumed more than 1.8 million tons of olive oil in 2009/2010, according figures released by the International Olive Oil Council (IOC) in the last week of November.

Within the EU, Italians lead consumption at 675,000 tons, followed by the Spanish, who consumed 550,000 tons and Greeks, who consumed 220,000 tons during the same period.

Outside of the EU, Americans are the largest consumers of the "liquid gold" - consuming about 260,000 tons of it in 2010, followed by Syrians, who consumed 120,000 and Turks, who consumed 110,000 tons.

According to the Council, global consumption will exceed production in the 2010/2011 crop year, which may mean that people can look forward to higher prices next year.

Top olive oil consuming countries (2009/2010)

1. Italy (675,000 tons)
2. Spain (550,000)
3. United States (258,000)
4. Greece (220,000)
5. Syria (120,000)
6. France (113,000)
7. Turkey (110,000)
8. Morocco (90,000)
9. Portugal (88,000)
10. United Kingdom (55,300)