Syrian Olive Oil: Varieties, History and What to Buy Today
Syrian olive oil comes from one of the oldest olive-growing landscapes in the world, and for a time Syria was one of the largest producers on earth. Shoppers searching for it today usually want three answers: which olives go into it, whether it is any good, and whether it can actually be bought where they live after more than a decade of war and sanctions. This guide answers each from primary sources: the International Olive Council's production figures, a CIHEAM survey of the Syrian olive sector, field research on Syria's main cultivars, and the current sanctions positions of the US, UK and EU, checked on 10 October 2026. It closes with a short checklist for choosing a Syrian bottle well.
For our own oil, see our Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml). It is a Moroccan oil, not a Syrian one, and this guide is written so you can judge a Syrian bottle on its own terms.
The Short Answer
- The International Olive Council (IOC) estimates Syrian olive oil production at 95,000 tonnes in 2025/26, down from 122,000 tonnes in 2023/24; about 59,000 tonnes are eaten at home and 38,000 tonnes exported.
- A 2007 CIHEAM survey found five varieties covered about 89% of Syria's olive area, led by Zaity (about 33%) and Sorani (about 29%), with more than 95% of groves rain-fed.
- The north — Idlib and Aleppo — held just over half of the olive area and produced about 58% of the oil in that survey.
- US, UK and EU sanctions no longer block ordinary trade in Syrian olive oil. The US ended its comprehensive Syria sanctions on 1 July 2025, the UK lifted its trade measures in April 2025, and the EU lifted its economic sanctions on 28 May 2025; sanctions on named individuals and entities remain.
- The useful lines on a Syrian label are the grade, Syria as the origin, the variety or region, the producer and a harvest or best-before date.
- Sidr & Stone's oil is single-estate Moroccan, not Syrian; read this as a buying guide written by a producer from another origin, and judge it on its sources.
How Much Olive Oil Syria Makes Today
Syria is still a significant producer, though a smaller one than it was. The IOC's world balance, adopted at its 122nd session in November 2025, gives these Syrian figures:
| Crop year | Production | Domestic consumption | Exports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 (final) | 122,000 t | 60,000 t | 69,000 t |
| 2024/25 (provisional) | 105,000 t | 58,500 t | 37,000 t |
| 2025/26 (estimated) | 95,000 t | 59,000 t | 38,000 t |
Against an IOC world total of 3,440,000 tonnes for 2025/26, Syria's estimate is under 3% of the crop. Two decades earlier the picture was different: the CIHEAM survey ranked Syria fourth in world olive oil production on the 2001–2005 average, after Spain, Italy and Greece, with about 4.7% of world output, and recorded oil production rising from 54,000 tonnes in 1990/91 to 160,000 tonnes in 2004/05.
Syria has also been outside the IOC's membership. In April 2025 Syria's ambassador told the Council in Madrid that Syria wanted to rejoin, and the IOC said it was ready to support its reintegration.
The Varieties: Zaity, Sorani and the Rest
Most Syrian olive oil comes from a handful of native cultivars. The CIHEAM survey (Al Ibrahem, Abdine and Dragotta, 2007, in Options Méditerranéennes Series A, No. 73) gives the share of Syria's olive area each one covered:
| Variety | Share of olive area | Main use | Where it grows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zaity (Zeiti) | 33.1% | Oil | The north |
| Sorani | 29.4% | Oil and table | Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Daraa |
| Doebli | 11.7% | Oil and table | The coast |
| Khodeiri | 10.3% | Oil and table | Latakia |
| Kaissy (Qaisi) | 4.8% | Table | Aleppo and Idlib |
| Abou-Satl | 1.9% | Oil and table | Palmyra (Tadmor) |
Zaity is the oil olive of the north. Sorani belongs to the Souri family of olives grown across the Levant: the IOC's variety catalogue lists "Soury or Sorani" as one Lebanese cultivar, and records Souri in Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. If you have read our guides to Lebanese olive oil or Palestinian olive oil, Sorani will taste like a close relative.
One labelling quirk follows from that shared name. On 9 October 2026, Google's US shopping results for "syrian olive oil" included an Israeli extra virgin oil whose listing title refers to "Syrian olives". The phrase there describes the olive, not the country the oil came from — another reason to read the origin line rather than the product name.
Where Syrian Olive Oil Grows
The CIHEAM survey split Syria into four olive regions, and the north dominated:
- North (including Idlib and Aleppo): 52.3% of the olive area and 57.6% of production.
- Coast (including Latakia and Tartous): 19.9% of the area and 10.6% of production.
- Middle: 15.5% of the area and 10.5% of production.
- South: 10.5% of the area and 19.9% of production.
The same survey describes a sector of small family farms: about 80% of holdings under five hectares, more than 95% of the olive area rain-fed, and some 79.9 million trees on 544,000 hectares in 2005. Its history is not one of unbroken ancient groves. A frost in 1949 killed millions of trees around Aleppo and Idlib, and much of the north was replanted afterwards; Syria reached self-sufficiency in olive oil in 1996 and began exporting in 1997. Those figures predate the war, which began in 2011, and should be read as a picture of the sector before it.
The north also gave the world a second olive product. Aleppo soap is traditionally made from olive oil and laurel-berry oil, and it is often the first Syrian olive product a Western shopper meets — which is why "Syrian olive oil soap" appears among the related searches for this topic.
What the Research Says About Syrian Oil
The most useful field study for a buyer comes from ICARDA, the international agricultural research centre then headquartered near Aleppo. Tubeileh, Turkelboom, Abdeen and Al-Ibrahem (Acta Horticulturae 791, 2008, pages 409–413) followed Sorani, Zeiti and Qaisi trees in three Syrian rainfall zones, from above 350 mm a year to 200–250 mm, sampling fruit every two weeks from mid-October to ripening.
They found that the growing zone changed the oil. Fruit ripened earliest in the driest, hottest zone; oil content was slightly lower there for Sorani and Zeiti but not for Qaisi; and the middle zone gave the highest oleic acid and the lowest acidity. Their conclusion was that trees not under water stress can produce good-quality oil even in marginal dry areas. A companion paper by the same team (Acta Horticulturae 791, 2008, pages 415–418) found Sorani the highest in oil content of four cultivars grown rain-fed at Kafr Yahmool in north-western Syria.
The honest limit is that these are trial trees from the 2000s, not the bottle on a shelf in 2026. Free acidity and peroxide value — the freshness measures that separate extra virgin from lower grades — depend on how quickly the fruit is pressed and how the oil is stored, and those vary by producer. Our guide to what extra virgin olive oil actually is explains the grade limits.
Can You Buy Syrian Olive Oil Today? Sanctions and Import Rules
Yes. As of 10 October 2026, the sanctions positions of the US, UK and EU do not prohibit ordinary purchases of Syrian olive oil. Each still keeps sanctions on named individuals and entities, so an importer checks who it is dealing with — but the oil itself is not a restricted good.
| Market | What changed, and when | What remains |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Executive Order 14312 ended the comprehensive Syria sanctions programme on 1 July 2025; OFAC removed the Syrian Sanctions Regulations on 25 August 2025; the Caesar Act was repealed on 18 December 2025; Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded on 24 August 2026 | List-based sanctions on former President Bashar al-Assad and his associates, human rights abusers, Captagon traffickers and certain other designated persons |
| United Kingdom | Trade, finance and energy measures were lifted on 24–25 April 2025; restrictions on gold, precious metals, diamonds and luxury goods were lifted on 22 April 2026 | Asset freezes on designated persons; an import ban on arms and military goods; export controls on certain sensitive goods |
| European Union | The Council lifted all economic restrictive measures on Syria on 28 May 2025, except those based on security grounds | Listings linked to the former Assad government, renewed in May 2026 until 1 June 2027, and human rights listings |
In the US, OFAC states that it "no longer maintains comprehensive sanctions on Syria". The UK government's business guidance, last updated on 23 April 2026, lists the measures that remain, none of which covers food. Import duties are a separate question from sanctions, and US tariff rates in particular have changed repeatedly since 2025; importers should check the current schedule. These positions have moved quickly, so readers should check the OFAC, GOV.UK and EU Council pages before relying on them.
Labelling is the same as for any non-EU oil. In the EU and UK, extra virgin and virgin olive oil must state its origin, so a bottle that is genuinely Syrian should say so on the label.
What to Buy: A Syrian Bottle Checklist
Outside Syria, the oil is sold mainly through Middle Eastern grocers, specialist importers and online marketplaces — Etsy and grocery sites dominated the US results for this search on 9 October 2026. A few Syrian producers sell under their own names. Serjella, for example, describes itself on its own site as a Syrian olive oil brand with offices in Damascus and Hama; it sells an extra virgin and a virgin oil, and says its oil is extracted by centrifuge below 27°C and stored in stainless steel under nitrogen. That is the kind of detail worth looking for. Whoever the seller, these checks do most of the work:
- "Extra virgin" on the label — Syrian producers also sell virgin oil, a lower grade, often in the same sizes.
- Syria as the stated origin, not "Levantine", "Middle Eastern" or a blend statement.
- A named variety or region — Zaity or Sorani, or a governorate such as Idlib, Aleppo or Hama.
- A named producer or importer who can answer questions about the batch.
- A harvest date, or failing that the latest best-before date you can find.
- Dark glass or a tin — and a size you will finish within a few months of opening.
Large tins are common in this category. They protect oil well until opened, but a half-empty four-litre tin oxidises steadily, so decant a small bottle for daily use. For the same checks applied to any bottle, see our guide to choosing a quality olive oil.
The Honest Objections
"Isn't buying Syrian oil still restricted?"
Not for the oil itself. The US, UK and EU all lifted their broad economic measures in 2025, as set out above. What remains is aimed at named people and entities, so a reputable importer screens its suppliers; a shopper buying a bottle is not breaching anything.
"Can Syrian oil really be extra virgin after years of war?"
It can. Grade is decided by the fruit, the speed of pressing and the storage, not by the country's circumstances. But it is fair to say that published quality data on Syrian oil since 2011 is thin, so the label, the harvest date and the seller's openness matter more here than for origins with recent testing.
"You sell Moroccan oil — why write about Syria?"
Because the label skills are the same, and a reader who can judge a Syrian bottle can judge ours. We have no Syrian grove and no first-hand harvest to describe; everything above comes from the sources named. A fresh Zaity or Sorani oil from a careful producer is a fine thing.
Why Sidr & Stone
This article's argument is that origin is a promise you can check. Sidr & Stone's Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml) makes that promise at the narrowest level possible: one farm, our own, on the plains outside Marrakech, Morocco.
- Single-estate — Sidr & Stone's olive oil comes from our own family-owned farm near Marrakech, Morocco, and we control every step from tree to bottle, with no blending across origins.
- Rain-fed — our trees are not irrigated; they take what the season gives, as most Syrian groves do.
- Organically grown — no synthetic fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides are used (not yet certified; certification is in progress).
- Single harvest — a small, limited batch, picked when the fruit is ready; the current batch's details are on the product page.
- Cold-pressed within hours of harvest — mechanical extraction only, with no solvents, no refining and no deodorising.
- Unfiltered extra virgin — minimally processed, so it may show natural sediment, which is normal.
- 100% natural — a single ingredient, olive oil, with nothing blended in.
- Dark glass with a gold label — protective packaging against light.
- 10% of profits to charity — a brand-wide commitment.
- Fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
We will not tell you Sidr & Stone is better than a good Syrian oil. What we will say is that our oil is single-estate Moroccan, rain-fed, organically grown and cold-pressed within hours of harvest. For the wider case for one named grove, see our piece on single-estate olive oil, and for our own origin, our guide to Moroccan olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is olive oil from Syria good?
It can be very good. Syria has grown olives for millennia, and field research on its main cultivars found good-quality oil even from dry areas; as with any origin, the grade, harvest date and storage decide how good a particular bottle is.
What olives are used in Syrian olive oil?
Mainly Zaity and Sorani, which together covered more than 60% of Syria's olive area in the 2007 CIHEAM survey, followed by Doebli, Khodeiri and Kaissy. Zaity is grown chiefly for oil; Sorani is used for both oil and table olives.
How can I tell if an olive oil is really Syrian?
Check that the origin line on the bottle names Syria, and prefer a label that names the producer, the variety or the region. Product names alone are not proof — "Syrian olives" can describe a variety rather than a country.
Is it legal to buy Syrian olive oil in the US, UK and EU?
Yes, as of 10 October 2026. The US ended its comprehensive Syria sanctions on 1 July 2025, the UK lifted its trade measures in April 2025 and the EU lifted its economic sanctions on 28 May 2025. Sanctions on named individuals and entities remain.
How does Syrian olive oil compare with Sidr & Stone's Moroccan oil?
Both come from largely rain-fed trees. Syrian oil is usually pressed from Zaity or Sorani olives on many small farms; ours comes from one single estate near Marrakech, organically grown and cold-pressed within hours of harvest.
What is the best olive oil from the Middle East?
There is no single best origin. Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Turkey all produce fine extra virgin oil; see our guides to Jordanian olive oil and Turkish olive oil, and judge each bottle on grade, harvest date and producer.
Where can I buy a single-estate extra virgin olive oil?
Look for a producer that names one farm and sells only extra virgin. Our Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml) is available to pre-order from the current single-harvest batch, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
Is olive oil a medicine?
No. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine. It has a long traditional history — including being honoured in the Prophetic Sunnah — and a substantial body of modern research, particularly around polyphenols, cardiovascular health, and the Mediterranean diet pattern. It can be a worthwhile part of a healthy routine, but it does not cure diseases and is not a substitute for medical care. Be cautious of any olive oil marketed with specific disease-cure claims.
Final Thoughts
Syrian olive oil is a smaller crop than it was, but still a real one — about 95,000 tonnes in the IOC's latest estimate — pressed mostly from Zaity and Sorani olives on small, rain-fed farms in the north, the coast and the south. Its history includes both great age and hard breaks, from the 1949 frost to the war.
What has changed most recently is access. With the broad US, UK and EU measures lifted in 2025, Syrian oil can be bought like any other origin. That makes the ordinary checks the important ones: extra virgin on the label, Syria as the origin, a named variety or producer, and a harvest date — the same test we invite for our own bottle.
Our Cold-Pressed Single-Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Marrakech (500ml) — single-estate, rain-fed and cold-pressed within hours of harvest — is available to pre-order now as a limited single-harvest batch, with fulfilment in the UK, EU, and US.
Our extra virgin olive oil is grown organically on our own single-estate farm on the plains outside Marrakech: we control every step from tree to bottle, and no synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers are used. It is not yet certified organic — certification is in progress, and we will publish it as soon as it comes through.
Disclaimer: This article describes Syrian olive oil production, varieties, research and sanctions positions using International Olive Council, CIHEAM, peer-reviewed, US Treasury, UK government and EU Council sources as they stood on 10 October 2026; sanctions, trade rules and production estimates change, and readers should check current sources before relying on them. References to producers and sellers are made in good faith and in fair terms and imply no affiliation. Olive oil is a food, not a medicine, and is not a substitute for medical treatment of any condition. For any health concern, consult a qualified medical professional.