Olive oil is loved all over the world for its delicious taste and many uses in cooking. But because each tree only produces 3–5 liters of oil on average, it takes a lot of trees to make olive oil. How many olive trees do you need to make enough olive oil to be worth it?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore olive tree fruit production, oil yields, and estimates for commercial groves and home growers. We’ll also look at optimal conditions and factors impacting oil quantity.
Olive Fruit Production Per Tree
A fully grown olive tree usually gives off 15 to 20 kg (33 to 44 lbs) of olives every year. After 5 to 8 years, olive trees start to bear fruit, and they reach their peak production when they are 20 years old. After 50 years, yields start to drop, but trees can keep producing for hundreds of years.
The weather, the type of crop, the farming methods, and the age and health of the trees all affect production. Trees that are well taken care of and grow in the best conditions can produce up to 50 kg (110 lbs) of fruit every year.
Even though olive trees live a long time, each tree only produces a small amount of fruit.
Olive Oil Yield Per Tree
It takes approximately 5 kg (11 lbs) of olives to produce 1 liter of olive oil. So each olive tree yields about 3-4 liters (3.1-4.2 quarts) of oil per year. Top producing trees may yield up to 5 liters (1.3 gallons).
With standard 500 ml bottles, one olive tree produces around 6 bottles of olive oil annually. The oil content of olives averages between 10-20% by weight.
Estimating Number of Trees for Commercial Production
Large commercial olive oil operations require many trees to produce sizeable volumes. Some estimates:
- An acre of olive trees contains about 100-150 trees.
- 1 hectare (2.5 acres) contains at least 200-300 trees.
- An olive grove with 500 trees produces around 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of oil.
- At 3 liters per tree, 1,000 trees yield 3,000 liters (793 gallons).
- A grove with 10,000 trees can produce 30,000 liters (7,925 gallons).
- Large farms may have over 100,000 trees.
So the greater the number of trees, the higher the potential olive oil output for the annual harvest.
Ideal Conditions for Maximizing Olive Oil Production
To improve yields, olive growers should provide:
- Well-draining, fertile soil for robust tree growth.
- Consistent moisture and irrigation where dry.
- Sunny sites with minimal winter frost.
- Protection from strong winds that desiccate trees.
- Regular fertilization, pruning, and pest control.
- Harvest timing when oil content peaks.
- Gentle mechanical harvesting to minimize bruised fruit.
- Quick processing within 24 hours of harvest.
Meeting olive tree needs results in larger fruit quantities and greater oil production.
Factors Impacting Olive Oil Yields
Several variables influence the possible olive oil volume:
- Tree variety – some cultivars naturally higher producers.
- Tree age – peak production around 20 years old.
- Climate and region – warmth and sun improve yields.
- Soil conditions – poor soils limit yields.
- Farming methods – impacts tree health and fruit quality.
- Crop maintenance – proper care enhances yields.
- Harvesting care – gently handled fruit has higher oil.
- Processing method – quality equipment maximizes oil extracted.
Consider all these factors when estimating potential olive oil output.
Yield for Small-Scale Home Production
For home growers with just a few olive trees:
- Expect 3-5 liters (0.8-1.3 gallons) of oil per tree.
- 5-10 trees can provide enough for a family’s yearly needs.
- Small harvests must be processed at commercial mills.
- Coordinate timing with neighbors for efficiency.
- Weigh olives before pressing to estimate oil yield.
- Oil yield averages 16-18% for hand-harvested batches.
Just a few backyard trees may provide sufficient oil for personal use.
Pressing Olives Into Olive Oil
To produce olive oil from the harvested olives:
- Olives are crushed into paste using stone mills or steel presses.
- Paste is spread on mats and stacked in hydraulic presses to separate liquids from solids.
- Liquids contain both oil and water, separated by centrifuge or decanting.
- Oil may be filtered before grading and bottling.
Proper equipment and handling optimizes the oil extracted from the olives.
Maximizing Yield Through Pruning
Regular pruning also helps maximize olive yields by:
- Removing old wood and encouraging fruitful new shoots.
- Improving light and air penetration for tree health.
- Balancing growth and directing energy into fruiting.
- Facilitating harvest with open canopies.
- Renewing old trees by severe pruning.
- Managing pests and diseases.
Along with other cultivation methods, pruning sustains olive productivity.
On average, a mature olive tree can produce 3-5 liters of oil annually. However, yields vary considerably based on climate, cultivar, tree age, and growing conditions. For personal use, 5-10 backyard trees may suffice. But commercial groves require tens of thousands of trees across many acres to generate substantial olive oil quantities. With optimal horticultural practices, olive trees continue yielding delicious oil for generations.
Factors that Influence the Production of Olive Oil:
There are several factors that can influence the amount of oil that an olive tree produces. These factors are:
1. Variety of Olive: Depending on the variety of olive, its oil yield will be different. For instance, varieties like Picual, Arbequina, and Hojiblanca are known for their unique ways of producing because they have a lot of fat (over 20%), which lets them make more oil. While varieties such as Hojiblanca or Manzanilla Villalonga have a lower yield, although of quality. 2. Climate and Growing Conditions: The climate, altitude, and other environmental factors can affect how healthy the olive tree is, which in turn affects how much oil it makes. In places like Andalusia and the Valencian Community that have a warm Mediterranean climate, more olives are grown than in places that are cold and cloudy. However, if there are periods of frost or drought in these warm areas, the yield of the olive trees is much lower, and may become invalid. 3. Age of the Olive Tree: The age of the olive tree also plays an important role. When an olive tree is born until it reaches 6 years old, the amount of olives it produces is relatively low because it is still forming. It is when it reaches its maturity period, between 6 and 19 years, when its quantity of olives increases and, therefore, it can produce more oil. However, older olive trees, such as centenary and millennial ones, produce a smaller amount of olives due to their advanced age of maturity. However, these fruits from ancient olive trees are larger and of higher quality. 4. Care and Maintenance: Proper pruning, balanced irrigation and careful management of olive trees contribute to optimal performance. A well-cared for olive tree that has not been cultivated in an intensive model (where the trees are close to each other with hardly any space), will produce high quality olives, since it has sufficient lighting and can develop better.
How I Produce Olive Oil Using My Own Olive Trees
FAQ
How much oil can one olive tree make?
Approximate Olive Oil Production Figures: Young Olive Trees: A young olive tree, about 5 to 8 years old, can produce around 5 to 10 liters of oil per season. Tough Olive Trees: A tough olive tree that is at least 20 years old can make 20 to 40 liters of oil or even more in the best conditions.
How many olives does it take to make 1 gallon of olive oil?
Harvested olives should be placed in perforated bins. Placing olives in fermentation bins or plastic bags can cause the olives to heat up and ferment. Depending upon ripeness, it takes about 80-100 pounds of olives to make 1 gallon of olive oil.
Can you use any olives to make olive oil?
Any olive can yield olive oil. The difference is that some olives contain more flesh and “vegetative water” in proportion to oil and other varieties have more oil than water. People in the Mediterranean used to like olives that were good for both eating and making oil.
How much oil does an olive tree produce?
The olives’ oil production depends on a lot of things, like the type, the climate, the time of harvest, and so on. But as a rough estimate, one could expect about 20 litres of oil from one quintal of olives. The number of olives you get from your trees depends on their age and size, the type of olives they grow, and the conditions they are in.
How many olive trees should you plant a year?
Ideally, plant 10 olive trees because you’ll increase olive oil consumption once you start producing your own olive oil. On average you can expect one olive tree to bear anywhere between ten to seventy kilograms of fruit each year. Can You Make your own olive oil?
How many olives are needed to produce one liter of oil?
Factors affecting tree production The number of olives needed to produce one liter of oil is not fixed; it depends on several factors that directly affect the quality and quantity of oil extracted: age of the olive tree and variety of olives, climate, cultivation and maturity of the olive fruit.
How many types of olive trees are there?
There are over 1,000 different varieties of olive trees, but only a few are grown commercially for olive oil production. The most common varieties include: Arbequina: This variety is native to Spain and produces a light, fruity oil. Frantoio: This variety is native to Italy and produces a medium-bodied oil with a peppery flavor.
How many trees do you need to make olive oil?
Many people have just one or two trees for decoration purposes, but in most cases, having one or two trees won’t be enough to produce your olive oil. How many olives make an oil?
How many olives can a tree produce?
Some mature trees that have not been pruned can be 40 to 60 feet tall and produce up to 800 pounds of olives, while others only produce 50. Ultra-high-density olive trees can produce over 5 kg of olives in good years. As for traditional olive groves, in good years, the yield of olive trees can exceed 100 kg and 5000 kg of olives per hectare.