Kurdistan Olive Oil
What the Brand Stands For
Kurdistan Olive Oil is not just a label. It is a shared commitment by farmers, processors, institutions and partners to place Kurdish olive oil on the map as a trustworthy, high-quality and sustainable product.
Brand developed within the KORES Project
- Represents olives grown in Erbil, Duhok, Sulaymaniyah and Halabja.
- Highlights the taste and health benefits of local extra virgin olive oil.
- Connects producers, markets and consumers under one regional identity.
Brand Story
Rooted in Land, Culture and Opportunity
Olive trees have become a symbol of resilience and opportunity in the Kurdistan Region. Over the past decade, thousands of hectares of orchards have been planted, modern mills have been established and farmers have invested in olives as a long-term crop. The Kurdistan Olive Oil brand was created to connect this growing reality with a clear and recognisable identity.The Region enjoys a Mediterranean-type climate, fertile foothills and mountain valleys, and a strong rural tradition. Yet, until recently, Kurdish olive oil was largely invisible in the marketplace: many products were sold without a common name, without shared standards, and without a story.Through the KORES Project, farmers, processors and institutions are now working together to build a modern value chain. Kurdistan Olive Oil is the visible face of this effort – a brand that tells consumers that this oil is locally produced, carefully processed and part of a wider transformation of rural livelihoods in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Key Facts at a Glance
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What Makes Kurdistan Olive Oil Unique
Authentic Origin
Olives are grown in carefully selected agro-climatic zones: foothills, valleys and slopes that offer ideal conditions for healthy trees, stable yields and distinctive flavour profiles.
Quality & Purity
Improved harvesting, faster transport to mills, modern extraction systems and better storage practices help safeguard freshness, aroma and nutritional value in every bottle.
Community & Inclusion
The brand supports family farmers, rural women and youth entrepreneurs, enabling them to participate in value-added activities such as table olives, specialty products and agritourism.
Quality & Certification
Towards Recognised Standards and Labels
One of the long-term ambitions of the Kurdistan Olive Oil brand is to support the creation of recognised standards and certification schemes that protect both producers and consumers, and position Kurdish olive oil in premium segments of the market.
Today: the brand acts as a shared identity and communication tool. Tomorrow: it will help anchor quality protocols, origin labelling and certification systems developed with the support of KORES and national institutions.
Current Foundations
- Training of mills on hygiene, good handling practices and HACCP principles.
- Support to nurseries to improve variety authenticity and plant health.
- Field trainings on harvesting, pruning, irrigation and pest management.
- Promotion of better storage and packaging options for olive oil and table olives.
Future Directions
- Development of voluntary quality guidelines for Kurdish olive oil.
- Exploration of origin-based labelling and recognition schemes.
- Stronger traceability from orchard to bottle through digital tools.
- Increased visibility in domestic markets and, in the long term, exports.
A Brand That Represents the Whole Region
Kurdistan Olive Oil brings together production from different governorates, each with its own landscape and strengths, under one regional identity that consumers can recognise and trust.
Erbil
A diverse governorate where olive cultivation is expanding in areas such as Shaqlawa, Koya, Soran and Makhmour, supported by both public and private initiatives.
Looking Ahead
A Growing Symbol of Kurdish Rural Identity
As orchards mature, processing technology improves and more people discover the taste and benefits of local olive oil, Kurdistan Olive Oil will continue to evolve. It is a living brand that grows together with the farmers and communities it represents.
From Tree to Table, Proudly Kurdish
Kurdistan Olive Oil is part of a long-term journey to make olives and olive oil a pillar of rural development, climate resilience and cultural pride in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.