Industrial wiring and electronics (Chapter 85) clearly lead exports with TND 4,634.7 million, by far the top export category, up +15.2% year-on-year.
Driven by COFICAB and Leoni, along with their subcontractors, this industry alone accounts for 28% of Tunisia’s total exports for the quarter.
Olive oil and fats rank second with TND 2,092.9 million, surging +33.8%, supported by an exceptional harvest and high global prices.
Ready-to-wear garments complete the top three with TND 1,315.3 million, though slightly down (-2.2%), signaling early competitiveness pressures from Asian rivals.
Processed plastics and mechanical machinery round out the top five, with the latter seeing a sharp decline (-12.1%).
TND 3.7bn in oil imports in Q1 2026, cars in the Top 5
Hydrocarbons dominate imports at TND 3,746.2 million, by far the largest import category, up slightly (+3.8%). Energy dependency remains the main structural driver of Tunisia’s trade imbalance, with a coverage rate of just 17%.
Electrical machinery and equipment follow with TND 2,925.5 million (+10.9%)—the same category that leads exports, highlighting Tunisia’s industrial transformation model: importing raw components and cables to re-export assembled wiring systems.
Vehicle imports rose significantly to TND 1,726.9 million (+13.5%), partly boosted by pre-purchases ahead of the BCT Circular 2026-4.
Mechanical machinery (Chapter 84) declined to TND 1,613 million (-5.7%), and plastics (Chapter 39) to TND 1,255.6 million (-6.9%), both signaling a slight slowdown in industrial demand.
Key insights from the charts (2024–2026)
Exports: 2026 significantly outperforms 2024 and 2025 in electrical machinery and olive oil, while declining in ready-to-wear and mechanical machinery, two sectors under pressure.
Imports: The steady rise in vehicle imports (from TND 1,077 million to 1,727 million) is striking, underscoring the urgency of regulatory action.
Meanwhile, declines in plastics and mechanical machinery in 2026 vs. 2025 suggest a mild cooling in intermediate industrial demand.
