Of the quantity of 150,000 tons of olive oil produced on Crete on average per year only a small percentage, approximately 10%, is consumed on the island by permanent residents (around 0.5 million) and by Greek and foreign tourists (around 3 million per year) who visit the island each year.

 

The remaining 90% of oil from Crete is exported from the island either to various other areas of Greece or, primarily, to other countries abroad thus contributing around 30% to the gross annual income of residents on the island.

 

A significant part (around 90%) of exports of top quality EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil from Crete is purchased each year in bulk form mainly by Italian industries in order to be used as an improver for the various types of olive oil they produce.

 

The remaining 10% of exports are aimed at the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, England, France, Belgium, Holland and other European countries most of which is packaged by cooperatives or private enterprises on Crete.