A high-level Tunisian trade delegation concluded talks in China’s Hubei province this week, launching a concerted push to expand the footprint of Tunisian olive oil in the massive Chinese market.
The mission, led by Mourad Ben Hussein, Director General of the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX), met with Chinese authorities in Wuhan to address logistical hurdles and streamline trade procedures. The focus on Hubei, a province of nearly 60 million people, represents a targeted effort to build a regional distribution hub.
This initiative is a direct component of a new government directive to diversify export destinations beyond traditional markets. With a record-high olive oil harvest projected for the 2025/2026 season, Tunisia is strategically pivoting toward growth markets in Asia and South America.
However, the scale of the challenge is significant. Despite being a major global producer, Tunisia remains a minor player in China’s olive oil import landscape. Recent 2024 trade data reveals a stark contrast: while China imported 29,850 tons of olive oil, worth over $208 million, Tunisian exports accounted for a mere 19 tons, generating just $229,000.
The market is overwhelmingly dominated by Spain, which supplies 92% of China’s olive oil by volume. Tunisia must also compete with other established secondary suppliers, including Italy, Australia, France, and Greece, to gain any meaningful market share.
The Wuhan talks, therefore, mark the beginning of a daunting but critical campaign for Tunisian exporters, as they seek to convince Chinese consumers and distributors to look beyond the Iberian giants.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
