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Uslu olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areas

Akhisar's black table variety. Overshadowed by Gemlik, yet holding its own market.

26 August 2026 Zeytin.NET editorial desk Olive 3 min read 70 views

Uslu is the Aegean's name for the black table olive. What Gemlik is to Marmara, Uslu is around Akhisar — though it never gained the same national profile.

Uslu in numbers

Uslu olive — measured values
Oil content	21.50%
Fruits per kilo	283
Flesh ratio	85.17%
Use	Table (black)
Main areas	Akhisar

Source: Efe, Soykan, Cürebal and Sönmez (2016), Zeytin Kitabı. Fields the source leaves blank are shown as "—"; nothing has been estimated.

Uslu olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areas

Akhisar's black table olive

Uslu is one of three varieties — with Gemlik and Edincik Su — that are widely processed as black table olives in Türkiye. Its centre is Akhisar; it is also grown in the western Mediterranean.

At 280 fruits per kilo and 85% flesh, it sits slightly larger and fleshier than Gemlik rather than in the same class. One study measured Uslu fruit length at 24.65 mm, against 25.67 mm for Memecik in the same work.

Why is it less known than Gemlik?

In the black table market Gemlik became the standard, backed by geographical indication and Marmara's processing infrastructure. Uslu stayed tied to Akhisar: a strong local processing tradition, but no national brand.

Its 21% oil also limits dual use; Uslu is essentially a table variety, and its value lies in size and flesh ratio.

Catalogue data

Uslu is one of four Turkish varieties listed in the International Olive Council's world catalogue — the others being Domat, Gemlik and Memecik. The catalogue records:

Uslu — catalogue measurements
Origin	Akhisar (Manisa)
Growing provinces	Manisa · İzmir · Muğla
Use	Oil and black table olives
Fruits per kilo	283
Fruit weight	3.53 g
Flesh-to-pit ratio	7.3
Oil content	21.50%
Total phenols	182-494 mg CAE/kg
α-tocopherol	380-486 mg/kg
Sensory profile	Medium fruitiness, bitterness and pungency
Flowering and ripening	Early — beginning of October
Yield	Regular under good husbandry
Self-fertility	Yes

Source: International Olive Council (IOC), World Catalogue of Olive Varieties. ⚠ Some of these figures differ from those in Turkish sources, where 21% oil, 280 fruits per kilo and 85% flesh are also reported. The differences may stem from orchard, season and harvest timing; we report the figures as published, with their source named.

What the figures say

A flesh-to-pit ratio of 7.3 means roughly 88% of the fruit by weight is flesh. In a table variety this is the decisive measure, and Uslu is strong on it. For comparison, the same region's green table variety Domat sits at 4.85 and Gemlik at 3.60 (Çukurova trial).

At ~260 fruits per kilo, Uslu belongs among the large-fruited varieties. The contrast with oil varieties is clear: Kilis Yağlık runs to 560 fruits per kilo, Kalem Bezi to 450.

Being self-fertile is a practical advantage in table-olive growing: an orchard can be planted without a pollinator variety.

One detail also corrects the harvest account above: the catalogue lists Uslu among the early-ripening varieties, with veraison beginning in early October. Uslu is picked late not because it ripens slowly, but because black table processing waits for the full colour change.

In short

Uslu is Akhisar's black table variety: 280 fruits per kilo, 85% flesh, 21% oil. Slightly larger and fleshier than Gemlik, yet it never became a national brand. Conserving it as a regional asset matters for varietal diversity.

Registered names built on this variety

The registration covers the product of a defined area — not this variety wherever it is grown.

Akhisar Uslu Zeytini designation of origin · reg. no 165
Akhisar Uslu Zeytinyağı geographical indication · reg. no 1056

Where it stands among measured varieties

Flesh ratio 85.17% 46 measured · rank 20.

Zoncuk avg 83,8% Mavi

Türkpatent Coğrafi İşaret Tescil Belgesi — Akhisar Uslu Zeytini (no 165)

Oil content 21.50% 39 measured · rank 21.

Tavsanyuregi avg 22,6% Kalem Bezi

Türkpatent Coğrafi İşaret Tescil Belgesi — Akhisar Uslu Zeytini (no 165)

Fruit length 23.92 mm 37 measured · rank 18.

Arbequina avg 23,6 mm Karamursel Su

Türkpatent Coğrafi İşaret Tescil Belgesi — Akhisar Uslu Zeytini (no 165)

Fruit width 18.12 mm 37 measured · rank 15.

Arbequina avg 17,4 mm Celebi

Türkpatent Coğrafi İşaret Tescil Belgesi — Akhisar Uslu Zeytini (no 165)

Fruit weight 3.53 g 29 measured · rank 22.

Koroneiki avg 4,2 g Karamursel Su

Türkpatent Coğrafi İşaret Tescil Belgesi — Akhisar Uslu Zeytini (no 165), 100 meyve 353,40 g

Values are those published on each variety's own page; the comparison covers only varieties with a measured figure, so it is a comparison of what is known — not of every Turkish variety. See the full ranking and how it is built →

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