Tunisia Aims to Maximize Olive Oil Value in 2026-2027 Season Following Record Harvest

Tunisia is positioning itself to better capitalize on its olive oil production for the upcoming 2026-2027 campaign, following a record-breaking harvest of 500,000 tonnes in the previous season. During a restricted ministerial council held at the Kasbah on Friday, Prime Minister Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri called for the mobilization of necessary resources to ensure efficient harvesting, processing, storage, and commercialization, while strictly preserving product quality.

The government’s strategy focuses on diversifying export markets and expanding sales of packaged oil, a segment that offers higher value-added opportunities for Tunisian production.

Record-Breaking Production and Export Growth

Data presented by Agriculture Minister Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh and Moez Ben Amor, CEO of the National Oil Office (ONH), highlights the exceptional performance of the 2025-2026 campaign:

Total Production: 500,000 tonnes, representing a nearly 65% increase compared to the five-year average of 303,000 tonnes.
Export Volumes: Exports reached 399,000 tonnes by the end of September 2026 and are projected to total 415,000 tonnes for the entire campaign.
Packaged Oil: Sales of packaged oil doubled, reaching 60,000 tonnes.
Organic Oil: Exports of organic oil grew by 12%, totaling 58,000 tonnes.

Domestic Market Surge

The domestic market also saw significant activity, with local consumption reaching 50,000 tonnes. This figure marks a substantial increase from the annual average of 35,000 tonnes recorded between 2021 and 2025.

Infrastructure and Support for Smallholders

To prepare for the new campaign, the National Oil Office (ONH) has expanded its storage capacity to 100,000 tonnes, up from 90,000 tonnes in the previous season. Meanwhile, the combined processing capacity of oil mills and exporting companies exceeds 400,000 tonnes.

The government is also prioritizing support for small-scale farmers by facilitating access to favorable credit terms and strengthening technical assistance. The overarching goal is to better organize the olive oil value chain to handle high production volumes and to increase revenues, particularly from export sales.