Visiting the Olive Oil Factory

During our visit to Crete, we saw so much activity in the olive harvesting process. It turns out that the season for picking olives runs from November to February. Crete plays a crucial role in Greek olive oil production: approximately 200,000 tons of olive oil are produced annually on the island, out of a total of 430,000 tons in all of Greece! We visited on oil factory and filmed the entire process: from picking the olives, collecting them in nets, transporting in burlap sacks, ready for the ride to the local live press, within 24 hours after picking! At the local olive press, the olives are cleaned of twigs and leaves, washed and ground into a homogeneous brown paste. This paste undergoes centrifugation, till it is pure extra virgin olive oil. The oil is then stored in 1,000-liter tanks and then bottled in tins to protect it from light. The oil is then distributed to both local and international markets, allowing consumers worldwide to enjoy high-quality Cretan olive oil!