Where can you buy natural olive oil?

There are no problems with olive oil in Northern Cyprus. You can buy it not only in a store.

• Olive oil in Northern Cyprus
• Olive oil in shops
• Olive oil in factories
• Frequently asked questions

Olive oil in Northern Cyprus

In Northern Cyprus, as in other Mediterranean countries, olive trees can be seen everywhere, both in the wild and in cultivated conditions.

Olives are an integral part of Cypriot culture and have been grown on the island since ancient times. Olive trees live for a very long time, and it is known that some are more than 2,500 years old. The oldest monumental olive trees in the village of Kalkanlı attract thousands of visitors every year, at least that was the case before the 2020 fire.

In ancient times, Cypriots used a heavy stone press with a long wooden handle to produce olive oil — the donkey would push the handle to rotate the millstone, crushing fresh olives.

Since then, the process has changed significantly and become fully automated, but the main principle remains unchanged: high-quality olive oil is produced without heating and chemicals.

Olive oil in shops in Northern Cyprus

Since the oil is produced on the island, there is no point in mixing it with sunflower or other cheaper oils to reduce production costs.

So, you can confidently buy any oil in the store, it will not disappoint you. You may see a natural sediment in the bottle — this is normal. It is better to buy in glass, but plastic bottles are often sold in markets. They are usually cheaper than glass ones, but they can also be safely purchased, since the oil in them doesn’t stay long due to high demand and turnover.

Olive oil in factories in Northern Cyprus

It is possible to buy olive oil directly from the production site — you can visit a farm where it is produced and buy the product cheaper than in stores.

Here are some addresses. The links lead to Google Maps locations.

• Aydın Zeytinyağı near Güzelyurt
• Şirinevler Zeytin Fabrikası near the Kyrenia mountain range
• Cyprolive Zeytinyağı near Girne
• Hasan Efendi Zeytinyağı east of Çatalköy
• Yeniceköy Bardak Zeytinyağı near Erjan
• Geçitkale Bardak Zeytinyağı in Geçitkale
• Mehmetcik Yağ Sanayi near Iskele

Frequently asked questions about olive oil in Northern Cyprus

What kind of olives are used to make the oil?

Olives of various degrees of ripeness are suitable for pressing, so you can find oil made from both green and more mature — black olives.

Where are the oldest olive trees in Northern Cyprus?

A large olive grove with ancient olive trees is located around the village of Kalkanlı, near Güzelyurt. Some of the trees are 700-800 years old, and they are true old-timers of Cyprus. Despite the tragic fire in 2020, some trees have survived.

Are there any festivals dedicated to olives?

The Olive Festival is usually held in Northern Cyprus during the first week of October and lasts three days. During this time, you can see an intense program that includes workshops on cooking dishes with olive oil, as well as a market in the central streets where you can buy locally produced olives and oil.

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