Tunisia’s olive oil export revenues jump nearly 50% on higher volumes

Tunisia’s olive oil sector recorded strong export performance in the first half of the 2025/2026 marketing season, with earnings rising sharply despite lower international prices. Higher shipment volumes helped offset the price decline and supported overall revenue growth.

According to the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI), olive oil exports generated 3.64 billion Tunisian dinars (around US$1.25 billion) between November 2025 and April 2026. This represents a 49.2% increase compared with 2.44 billion dinars (US$839.1 million) recorded during the same period a year earlier.

The growth came amid weaker prices on global markets. In April 2026, the average export price of Tunisian olive oil fell by 8% year on year to 12.67 dinars per kilogram, down from 13.77 dinars per kilogram. Depending on quality and category, prices ranged between 8.81 and 16.55 dinars per kilogram.

Export volumes played a decisive role in boosting revenues. Tunisia shipped 295,400 tonnes of olive oil during the period, up from 180,200 tonnes a year earlier, marking a 63.9% increase. The expansion reflects strong output expectations following a significantly larger harvest.

Despite the positive results, ONAGRI noted that bulk shipments continue to dominate exports, accounting for 87.5% of total volumes, while packaged olive oil made up only 12.5%. Analysts say this structure limits value-added gains, even as Tunisia strengthens its position as one of the world’s leading olive oil exporters.

Tags: export, olive oil, Tunisia