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Tunisian olive oil exports have achieved a historic milestone in the US market during the first eight months of 2026, securing the top spot among suppliers to the United States. According to data published by the specialized Italian outlet 'Olivo News', based on US government reports, Tunisia has successfully outperformed traditional giants Spain and Italy, recording a remarkable export growth of 45.4%.
Detailed figures reveal that Tunisian olive oil exports to the US reached 95,321 tons between January and August 2026. Conversely, Spanish exports fell by 22% to 90,556 tons, while Italian exports saw a sharper decline of 24%, totaling approximately 67,000 tons. This shift highlights a significant realignment of competitive dynamics within one of the world's most critical consumption markets.
This growth occurred despite a 7% contraction in total US olive oil imports, which fell to 291,542 tons during the same period. The contrast between Tunisia's rising market share and the decline of its European competitors suggests that Tunisia has effectively utilized its production capacity and competitive pricing to fill the gap left by European suppliers facing logistical and financial pressures.
Market analysis attributes this Tunisian surge to several factors, including rising production costs in Europe and the impact of US import tariffs on EU products. The Italian report also highlighted internal challenges within the European sector, such as stock accumulation and price pressures, criticizing the perceived inconsistency in EU trade policies regarding external competition.
For the Tunisian sector, while leading the US market is a significant victory, experts emphasize that long-term success depends on moving beyond bulk exports. The strategy moving forward must focus on branding, packaging, and quality consistency to capture higher value-added margins. These preliminary figures await final verification against official US trade databases to confirm the definitive rankings for the 2026 period.
Source: Tunisie Telegraph