The apparatus for picking olives and similar products comprises a support rod (2) suitable to be grasped, a shaker unit (3) comprising a containment box (7) suitable to be mounted at the top of the support rod (2); at least one comb sector (5, 6) shaping a crossbar (9) provided with a plurality of teeth (10), carried mobile by the containment box (7), a motor member (204) to actuate the comb sector (5, 6) in a substantially tilting motion, a drive shaft (14) arranged substantially aligned to the longitudinal axis of the support rod (2) and suitable to be actuated in a rotary motion by the motor member (204). The drive shaft (14) is associated with at least one respective driven shaft (18, 19) shaping an inclined end portion (23). Support means (25) for the crossbar (9) of the comb sector (5, 6) are suitable to be engaged rotatably on the inclined portion (23) of the driven shaft (18, 19) by means of the interposition of rolling means (28). Control means (13) for the motion of the comb sector (5, 6) are associated with the support means (25), the support means (25) being suitable to cooperate reciprocally abutting with the control means (13) at respective coupling portions (30, 31) externally to the containment box (7), to transform the rotary motion actuated by the motor member (204) into the tilting motion of the comb sector (5, 6).