Olive Oil Imports into South Africa 2002

South African Imports of Olive Oil

The growth in imports from 1999 to 2002 is 75%. The import figure for 2003 covers only 8 months and it looks as if the growth trend will continue for this year.

There seems to be a softening of prices of imports in 2003, probably a consequence of the stronger Rand. The price per litre for the first 8 months of 2003 shows a decrease of around 9% across all olive oils with extra virgin decreasing by almost 8%. This has implications for the pricing of local brands.

The average proportion of Extra Virgin Olive Oil imported has been reasonably consistent at around 64% for the last five years, which is high in comparison to other Southern Hemisphere countries.

Simon Field

Commercial Olive Research

Table 1: Imports of Olive Oil into South Africa 1999-2003

(Source: Commercial Olive Research (CORE) 2003)

Year	EVOO			Non Virgin Olive Oil			Total		Litres	R/Litre	%EVOO
	R	Tonnes	R/Litre	R	Tonnes	R/Litre	R	Tonnes	L	R	%
1999	18,908,569	1,046.95	16.25	9,504,550	578.60	14.78	28,413,119	1,625.55	1,806,174	15.73	64.41
2000	28,407,833	1,614.25	15.84	14,144,640	950.98	13.39	42,552,473	2,565.23	2,850,264	14.93	62.93
2001	32,831,381	1,742.10	16.96	14,601,643	877.49	14.98	47,433,024	2,619.59	2,910,657	16.30	66.50
2002	46,293,289	1,791.25	23.26	23,207,681	1,066.64	19.58	69,500,970	2,857.89	3,175,441	21.89	62.68
2003 (8 m)	38,329,079	1,606.97	21.46	17,773,479	925.42	17.28	56,102,558	2,532.39	2,813,766	19.94	63.45

Table 2: Olive Oil imports to South Africa 2003 by Country of Origin

(Source: Commercial Olive Research (CORE) 2003)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2003

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Total	% EVOO
Spain	32317	104127	81171	98648	79782	16468	10567	42884	465964	29.00
United Kingdom	5000	3000		10400		5000			23400	1.46
Greece	11128		28526	15182	4365		33138	8099	100438	6.25
Italy	219975	85659	85828	176417	101929	87426	80760	45947	883941	55.01
Portugal	7572		1996		14426	3580	22723	5862	56159	3.49
Argentina					10185			8000	18185	1.13
Turkey					25635		30106	643	56384	3.51
Morocco							1488		1488	0.09
Others	126	2	5		3			875	1011	0.06
Total	276118	192788	197526	300647	236325	112474	178782	112310	1606970	100.00

Non Extra Virgin Olive Oil
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Total	% Non-EVOO
Spain	103910	72845	40800	26650	36886	25061	28441	1916	336509	36.36
United Kingdom	5000	3000		5600				16	13616	1.47
Greece	5680		29989	95	9346			6580	51690	5.59
Italy	41355	49057	62397	27241	26286	49965	22306	33160	311767	33.69
Portugal	42329	19507	23273	1979	24707	26224	9591	11908	159518	17.24
Argentina	11255				19000		10106		40361	4.36
Turkey										0.00
Morocco							11506		11506	1.24
Others	180	1	26	100	60	62	22	7	458	0.05
Total	209709	144410	156485	61665	116285	101312	81972	53587	925425	100.00

Total Olive Oil
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Total	% Olive Oil
Spain	136227	176972	121971	125298	116668	41529	39008	44800	802473	31.69
United Kingdom	10000	6000	0	16000	0	5000	0	16	37016	1.46
Greece	16808	0	58515	15277	13711	0	33138	14679	152128	6.01
Italy	261330	134716	148225	203658	128215	137391	103066	79107	1195708	47.22
Portugal	49901	19507	25269	1979	39133	29804	32314	17770	215677	8.52
Argentina	11255	0	0	0	29185	0	10106	8000	58546	2.31
Turkey	0	0	0	0	25635	0	30106	643	56384	2.23
Morocco	0	0	0	0	0	0	12994	0	12994	0.51
Others	306	3	31	100	63	62	22	882	1469	0.06
Total	485827	337198	354011	362312	352610	213786	260754	165897	2532395

Source: Commercial Olive Research

For courses on extra virgin olive oil and opportunities for table olive processing to be held in New Zealand in 2004 go to:

Information provided on this page is based on materials used in the Savantes Programme and Table Olive Courses.