Competition rules
The “Olea Mogador” annual extra virgin olive oil competition, organised by the Association of Olive and Olive Oil Producers of Essaouira, in collaboration with the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture of Essaouira, the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of Marrakech-Safi, INRA Marrakech and the Marrakech-Safi regional olive oil tasting panel.
The competition is open to extra virgin olive oils entered by individual producers, cooperatives, producers’ associations and bottling companies.
1. Eligible oils
- Only extra virgin olive oils as defined by the International Olive Council (IOC) trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils are accepted.
- Entered oils must come from a homogeneous lot of unbottled oil.
- A sample may be entered under two options: single-variety (one variety) or blend (several varieties).
- Each participant may enter only one sample per option.
2. Categories
Category 1 — Moroccan varieties
Moroccan Picholine, Menara, Haouzia, Tassaout, Dalia, Mechkate.
Category 2 — Moroccan varieties with a PDO/PGI label (SDOQ)
Moroccan varieties holding a distinctive sign of origin and quality (SDOQ) in the main olive-growing regions.
Category 3 — Foreign varieties
Picholine Languedoc, Arbequina, Koroneiki, Arbosana…
3. Timeline
- From 20 October 2026Competition announced and launched.
- 23–27 November 2026Samples dropped off at the DPA of Essaouira, until 2 pm on 27 November.
- 1–7 December 2026Chemical analysis at the INRA Marrakech food technology and quality laboratory, then a first sensory evaluation: samples with a defect are eliminated.
- 9–10 December 2026Finalist oils ranked using an international competition model.
- 12 December 2026Awards ceremony.
4. Samples
Participants fill in the entry form. Each entered lot is assigned the participant’s code.
For each oil: 2 × 500 ml and 2 × 100 ml bottles in tinted glass, representative of the entered lot.
The DPA of Essaouira sends the coded samples to the INRA Marrakech laboratory for chemical analysis. The 500 ml samples go to the regional panel under a secret code for sensory evaluation.
The head of the jury sends the results in a confidential envelope to the Director of the DPA of Essaouira. It is opened only after the jury’s deliberation, in the presence of the organising committee.
5. Entry fee
MAD 1,000 per sample for categories 1 and 3, paid into the account of the Association of Olive Producers of Essaouira.
6. Sensory evaluation
- Evaluation follows the IOC method for virgin olive oils, adapted to the practices of international quality competitions.
- Oils are ranked by a score reflecting the quality and intensity of their fruity attributes, in particular the complexity and harmony of all positive attributes.
7. Jury and organising committees
- The tasting jury brings together the IOC-recognised Marrakech-Safi regional olive oil tasting panel and invited national and international experts.
- Scientific coordination: the head of the Marrakech-Safi regional panel (INRA Marrakech).
- Technical coordination: the DPA of Essaouira.
- Organising committee coordination: the president of the Provincial Association of Olive Producers of Essaouira.
8. Awards
Awards consist of a medal, a certificate and a design of self-adhesive medal labels bearing the competition logo, the production year and the award won: Premium, Gold, Silver or Bronze medal.
9. Acceptance
Entering the Olea Mogador 2026 competition implies acceptance of these rules.
Technical and organising committee