On Monday, amidst the bustling atmosphere of the "SIAM" forum in Meknes, the results of the 16th National Competition for the Best Producers of Extra Virgin Olive Oil were announced. This season has seen a remarkable record in olive production, reaching nearly two million tons, representing a staggering 93% increase over the past three years. Consequently, the production of olive oil reached an impressive 200,000 tons. The event featured 77 entries from five regions, and for the first time, no olive oil was disqualified based on physical and chemical analyses, as reported by the event organizers during an official ceremony to honor the winners, attended by Ahmed Bouare, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests.
The noticeable increase in participation in the 2026 competition was complemented by the classification of the competing oils into four homogeneous categories according to the standards of the International Olive Council. This was announced from the award podium by Tawfiq Al-Ashabi, the Director of Production Chains Development at the Ministry of Agriculture and the representative of Morocco at the International Olive Council.
Awards in the category of "Strong Green Fruity Olive Oil" were claimed by OLIVEINVEST from El Hajeb, securing first place, followed by CHANIA from Meknes in second place, and OLEA CAPITAL from El Hajeb in third place. It is worth mentioning that, in recognition of the qualitative improvements in quality, encouragement awards were for the first time granted to the fourth, fifth, and sixth place holders in each category, acknowledging them as "final candidates" as decided by the judging panel.
In this category, the notable achievements included L’OLEAST from Meknes (fourth place), AL DAHRA MOROCCO FACTORIES from El Hajeb (fifth place), and the economic group "Millennium Challenge" from Outat El Haj (sixth place). In the "Moderate Green Fruity Olive Oil" category, D’EXPLOITATION DE L’OLIVE from Kelaa Sraghna topped the list, with OLIVE OIL CARTEL taking the second prize, while the Ben Melouk press from Chichaoua secured third place. The cooperative "Zouit Souira" came in fourth, followed by the "Marrakech Preserves" company from Kelaa Sraghna in fifth, and DOMAINE OLEICOLE BNI MTIR from El Hajeb in sixth.
In the "Light Green Fruity Olive Oil" category, Ibrahim Zniber’s press from El Hajeb won first place, while the economic group "Oued Zat" from Al Haouz took second. The third prize went to Mr. Stéphane Laurent from Essaouira, with EL BACHA OLIVE OIL from Essaouira in fourth place, followed by the "Tayssir" cooperative from Al Haouz in fifth, and the economic group "Jnan Wazan" in sixth.
For the "Ripe Fruity Olive Oil" category, the economic group "Zouit Ait Attab" from Azilal excelled, securing first place, followed by "Zitoun Marrakech" from Rahamena in second, and OLICO SA in third place. PERLE HUILE D’OLIVE from Outat El Haj achieved fourth, followed by "Zouit Al Bayda" from Essaouira in fifth, and "Jibal Chefchaouen" from Araboua in sixth.
In a media statement during the event, Tawfiq Al-Ashabi highlighted, "Today, we celebrate the finest Moroccan olive oils, distinguished by their high flavor and quality, derived from pure local Moroccan varieties we are committed to developing." He stressed that there is a diversity among the award winners, including both small and large farmers, as well as companies and cooperatives established under the Green Morocco Plan, which are continuously supported. He noted, "There is a firm belief that quality is the only way for farmers to stand out and enhance the market value of oil, both in local and international markets."
Al-Ashabi emphasized that this event aims to raise awareness among Moroccan consumers about the value of olive oil and to correct some widely held misconceptions, thereby benefiting and developing the fruit tree sector, which is the largest in Morocco and deserves our utmost attention. He concluded, "This award has now reached its sixteenth edition, reflecting significant maturity. This year, we have seen a noticeable increase in participants, jumping from 26 in the early editions to 77 currently. In the future, we aim to organize regional competitions in every producing region to bring the competition closer to producers and expand the base of participants in the quality journey. Given this year's abundant production, we affirm that excellence can only be achieved through adherence to technical standards and administrative support to ensure that the oil retains its value.
In interviews with HESPRESS, some winners and honorees expressed that this recognition will serve as a strong motivator for cooperatives to continue and enhance the quality of their olive products, opening avenues for entry into national and international markets in the future. They regard this achievement as a significant enhancement of the status of our Moroccan regional products.
As reported by hespress.com.
