Opportunities and conditions of access for Tunisian olive oil on the Chinese market” was the theme of a roundtable meeting organized by the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX) on Friday.
During the event, it was revealed that the figures for Tunisian exports to China were “below expectations”.
Decline in Tunisian exports to China
Tunisia is the eighth largest supplier of olive oil to China. In addition, China remained Tunisia’s 29th largest customer in 2023, a year in which it maintained a trade deficit with China of -8.4 MTD, similar to the previous year.
Exports of machinery and electrical equipment fell sharply in 2023 compared with 2022 (-57).
On the other hand, according to the Centre for Export Promotion (CEPEX), agricultural and agro-food exports recorded a slight decrease of -8% compared to 2022.
In his speech, Mourad Ben Hassine, CEO of CEPEX, pointed out that the untapped export potential to China is estimated at 217 million dinars, including 68 million dinars for olive oil, which indicates the opportunities to be seized in this major market.
It is important for Tunisian companies to seize these opportunities and strengthen the presence of Tunisian olive oil in this Asian market,” he said.
Ben Hassine also confirmed that CEPEX is constantly working to accompany and support all Tunisian companies on foreign markets.
He added that one of the conditions for access to the Chinese market is for Tunisian companies to register on the Chinese customs registration platform. This is a compulsory step for all exporters of agri-food products, including olive oil.
In this context, CEPEX is currently assisting companies with this complex procedure. So far, only five Tunisian companies have registered.
Tunisian olive oil a great success on the world market
The quality of Tunisian olive oil is recognized as being beyond reproach, especially when it comes to extra virgin oils.
Rich in natural flavors such as tomato, almond and herbs, Tunisian olive oil continues to stand out for its high quality.
Continuous efforts are being made to promote this excellence internationally.
According to recently released official figures, Tunisia has become the second largest supplier of bottled olive oil to the United States, generating a significant trade surplus.
In fact, by the end of August 2024 (2023-2024 season), olive oil revenues had risen by almost 62% to reach 4.8 billion dinars, according to the National Olive Oil Office (ONH).
The ONH pointed out that since the start of the season (1 November 2023), Tunisia has exported almost 181,258 tons of olive oil, including 23,946 tons packaged, worth 692 million dinars (MD), an increase of 36%.
The average price of a ton of olive oil exported to international markets was almost 26,508 dinars, while the price of a packaged ton sold on the international market was 28,899 dinars.
In the 2022-2023 season, Tunisia exported almost 175,000,669 tons of olive oil, worth 2.9 billion dinars, with an average export price of almost 16,918 dinars per ton.
