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Recent data from the National Observatory of Agriculture reveals an exceptional performance by the Tunisian olive oil sector, registering a record surge in exports during the first nine months of the current season. Total exported volumes reached 368,000 metric tons, a significant increase of 55.3% compared to 236,900 metric tons in the same period of the previous season.
This export momentum positively impacted the country's financial revenues, with export values soaring to 4,605.3 million Tunisian Dinars (TND), marking a 44.4% growth from 3,190 million TND in the prior season. This substantial rise is primarily attributed to increasing global demand, particularly for extra virgin olive oil, which alone accounted for 83.6% of the total exported volume.
Packaged olive oil exports also experienced significant growth, increasing by 50.8% from 34,100 metric tons to 51,500 metric tons. Packaged olive oil now represents 14% of the total exported volume, with bulk olive oil accounting for the remaining 86%. In terms of revenue, packaged olive oil contributed 18.6% of the total export revenues during the first nine months.
Regarding prices, the average price of olive oil saw a 1.4% increase in July 2026, reaching 13.16 TND per kilogram, up from 12.97 TND per kilogram in the same period last season. Prices varied by category, ranging between 8.22 TND and 17 TND per kilogram.
Tunisian olive oil exports reached over 70 international markets by the end of July 2026, underscoring the diversification of export destinations. The European Union remains the primary market, absorbing 57.1% of exports, led by Spain (32.1%) and Italy (20%). North America secured the second position with a 24% share, primarily split between the United States (19.2%) and Canada (4.8%). Asian markets accounted for 11.3% of total volumes, with Saudi Arabia (4.6%) and Jordan (3.1%) as key importers. The African market constituted 3.8%, with Egypt being the largest African importer at 3.3%.
Concerning organic olive oil, exports totaled 51,200 metric tons during the first nine months of the 2025/2026 season, with a total value of 673.2 million TND. Packaged organic olive oil represented only 6.2% of the total organic export volume. The average price for organic olive oil was 13.16 TND per kilogram, with variations between bulk (12.93 TND/kg) and packaged (16.56 TND/kg). Italy led the list of Tunisian organic olive oil importers with a 38% share, followed by Spain (26%), the United States (23%), and France (8%).
Source: JawharaFM