Tunisia’s olive oil export volumes increase as revenues decline amid global price crash

TUNISIA – The Tunisian olive oil sector has reported a notable increase in export volumes, but this growth has not translated proportionally into higher revenues during the first six months of the 2024/25 campaign (November 2024 – April 2025), highlighting challenges in capturing full economic value. 

According to the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI), the country exported 180,200 tons of olive oil between November 2024 and April 2025, a 40.1% increase compared to the same period last year.

Contrary to expectations, earnings dropped 28.9%, totalling 2.44 billion Tunisian dinars (US$842.3M), down from 3.44 billion dinars (US$1.186B) in the previous campaign.

In April 2025, the average price per kilogram plummeted 48.9% year-on-year, ranging from TND 7.1 to TND 18/kg (US$2.46 to US$6.24/kg), depending on quality and packaging.

Bulk exports dominate Tunisia’s shipments, accounting for 88.1% of total volume, while packaged olive oil, typically commanding higher margins, represented just 11.9%.

Export destinations & market dynamics

Europe remains Tunisia’s primary export market, absorbing 59.5% of shipments, followed by North America (24.9%) and Africa (9.6%).

Italy leads as the top importer, purchasing 29% of Tunisia’s olive oil, followed by Spain (26%) and the United States (19.6%).

Despite strong demand, the dominance of bulk exports and limited branding have constrained Tunisia’s ability to capture premium pricing.

Organic olive oil exports reached 34,300 tons, generating 469.1 million dinars (US$162.03M), but only 5% of this was sold in packaged form.

The average price for organic oil stood at TND 13.68/kg (US$4.72/kg), with packaged variants fetching up to TND 17.65/kg (US$6.09/kg).

Structural challenges & missed opportunities

Tunisia’s olive oil industry is heavily reliant on bulk sales, which are vulnerable to price volatility and offer limited value addition.

The lack of investment in bottling, branding, and market differentiation has left producers exposed to global commodity cycles.

While Tunisian olive oil is prized for its quality, especially the Chetoui and Chemleli varieties, its market positioning remains underdeveloped.

The current campaign underscores the urgent need for Tunisia to pivot toward value-added exports, including branded, packaged, and organic oils.

Efforts to promote Tunisian-branded packaged olive oil include a 2025 promotional campaign led by the Tunisian Technical Centre for Packaging (Packtek), with participation in major international food fairs and targeted diplomatic outreach to raise awareness of Tunisia’s olive oil quality and origin.

Addressing packaging capacity and branding deficiencies will be critical for Tunisia to capture greater value from its olive oil production in competitive global markets.

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