Syria’s olive warriors: farmers defy civil war turmoil to lead global oil production resurgence

War-torn Syria is leading a resurgence of global olive oil production in 2015, as growers fight against the odds to bottle a good harvest after a terrible year for the crop in 2014. The embattled Middle Eastern country is set to become the world’s fourth largest olive oil producer, trailing the market’s European powerhouses of Spain, Italy and Greece, according to the International Olive Council (IOC).