The olives fruit, also called an "olive", is of major agricultural importance in the
Mediterranean region as the
source of olive oil; it is one of the core ingredients in Mediterranean
cuisine.
Thousands of cultivars of olive
trees are known. Olive cultivars may be used primarily for oil, eating, or both. Olives
cultivated for consumption
are generally referred to as "table olives". About 90% of all harvested olives are turned into oil, while
about
10%
are used as table Olive .