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Tunisian olive oil continues to strengthen its position in international markets, with both export volumes and sales value rising notably during the current season. Yet a closer reading of the export figures reveals a striking economic paradox: more than 80% of export revenue comes from bulk olive oil, while bottled oil accounts for only 18.6%, according to a report by Radio Lombardia in Italy.
During the first nine months of the 2025-2026 season, Tunisia's olive oil exports reached approximately 368,000 tonnes, up 55.3% compared with the same period of the previous season. Sales value climbed to around EUR 1.4 billion, registering a 44.4% increase.
The structure of these earnings, however, tells a different story. Available data show that the price of one kilogramme of bottled oil reached TND 17.06, against TND 13.81 for bulk oil, a price differential of about TND 3.25 per kilogramme in favour of bottled oil.
Applying this differential to the full 368 million kilogrammes exported over the period yields a theoretical additional value of roughly TND 1.2 billion. This figure does not represent an actual loss to the treasury or to producers; rather, it is a notional calculation based on the price gap between the two product forms, assuming the differential holds and is applied to the entire volume. Converting all exports into bottled oil remains unrealistic, as bottling, packaging, transport, marketing, distribution costs, and the margins of various intermediaries would absorb a significant share of the gap.
Notional estimates suggest that converting just 20% of bulk exports into bottled oil would generate an additional theoretical value of around TND 239 million. Raising the conversion rate to 30% would lift that figure to approximately TND 359 million, while converting half of the volumes would yield around TND 598 million, based on the same price differential.
The paradox becomes more pronounced when the nature of the product is considered. Extra virgin olive oil represents 83.6% of Tunisia's exports, meaning the country is not shipping a low-value commodity, but a premium-quality product in strong demand globally. The European Union absorbs more than 57% of total volumes, led by Spain at 32.1% and followed by Italy at 20%.
Several factors help explain the dominance of bulk oil in the export mix. Selling in bulk allows exporters to move large volumes quickly without bearing the full cost of building a brand or establishing international distribution networks. European buyers, often large operators, prefer bulk purchases to feed their own bottling and packaging operations. Conversely, entering overseas markets under a Tunisian brand requires substantial investment in packaging, marketing, and promotion, as well as the ability to compete with well-established European and global labels.
Analysts stress that exporting bulk oil is not, in itself, a loss. It remains a natural feature of international trade, providing Tunisia with a vital outlet for its production and a reliable source of foreign currency. The real problem begins when bulk oil becomes the rule, while bottled oil and the Tunisian brand remain the limited exception.
The report argues that the objective is not to halt bulk exports but to rebalance the model gradually, shifting from a strategy based on selling the raw material to one that sells the oil along with the brand, the story, and the quality. This requires investment in modern bottling facilities, the development of Tunisian brands, stronger external marketing, and easier access for Tunisian companies to major distribution networks, alongside support for small and medium-sized enterprises capable of building export-ready brands. It also calls for developing an industrial ecosystem around olive oil, encompassing packaging, logistics, and marketing services, so that olive oil exports become a driver of broader economic sectors rather than a mere source of foreign currency through the shipment of raw material.
The data ultimately pose a fundamental question: if Tunisia possesses the land, the oil, the quality, the expertise, and the markets, why does it not retain a larger share of the value that this product creates? After decades of exporting olive oil, the question is no longer how many tonnes the country can ship abroad, but how much value it can keep within its borders.
Source: Tunisie Telegraph