Tunisia has launched an ambitious national program for promoting its olive oil in 2026, aiming to strengthen its presence in international markets and diversify export destinations.
At a recent meeting at the Exporters’ House, participants, including the CEO of the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX), the CEO of the National Olive Oil Office (ONH), representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Technical Packaging Center (PACKTEC), approved a plan of over 30 actions.
Key measures include participation in international trade fairs, market exploration missions, overseas promotional campaigns, hosting business delegations in Tunisia, and organizing professional events in partnership with Tunisian embassies.
The program emphasizes communication, with media materials and an advertising campaign promoting “Made in Tunisia” olive oil. A National Prize for the best bottled olive oil for the 2025–2026 campaign will also be introduced.
The initiative aims to diversify exports to priority markets such as China, the UK, Latin America, and Gulf countries. Early reservation of national pavilions at key trade fairs will maximize the visibility of Tunisian olive oil.
As the world’s third-largest exporter, Tunisia generated 4.5 billion dinars in olive oil exports in the first eight months of 2025, representing 53% of the country’s agri-food exports across 66 markets.
The 2026 program also targets Sub-Saharan Africa and Russia, complementing other sectoral promotional initiatives.
The Tunisian government has long promoted high-quality olive oil through agro-food investments and innovative marketing, shifting from mass production to bottled oils. Training programs have encouraged environmentally sustainable production, strengthening biosafety and product quality.
Exports have reached 280,000 tons valued at 3.75 billion dinars, accounting for over 50% of Tunisia’s agricultural and food exports. In November 2024, olive oil export revenues rose 16.6% to 281 million dinars, despite a 20.6% drop in prices, due to a 47% increase in exported volumes to 14,781 tons.
Bottled olive oil exports grew 30%, totaling 2,500 tons worth 67 million dinars.
The program aims to solidify Tunisia’s global standing, support local producers accessing high-value export markets, and drive sustainable economic development in the olive oil sector.
