Tunisia’s olive oil sector generated 3.64 billion dinars (approximately $1.25 billion) in export revenue during the first six months of the 2025/2026 marketing year, according to the latest market update from the National Agriculture Observatory (ONAGRI).
The figure represents a 49.2 percent increase from the 2.44 billion dinars ($839.1 million) recorded in the same period of the previous season, even as the average export price of Tunisian olive oil declined year on year.
“In April 2026, the average price of olive oil fell 8 percent compared with the same period of the previous season, dropping from 13.77 DT/kg to 12.67 DT/kg. By category, prices range between 8.81 DT/kg and 16.55 DT/kg,” ONAGRI said.
The observatory did not detail the factors behind the price decline. However, outlook projections published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture point to a less constrained market than in the previous season. According to the USDA, global olive oil consumption is expected to fall 3 percent to 3.04 million tonnes in 2025/2026, while world stocks are projected to rise 20 percent to 600,000 tonnes. Lower demand and higher supplies could weigh on international prices.
The increase in export revenue has been driven primarily by higher shipment volumes. Between November 2025 and April 2026, Tunisian olive oil exports reached 295,400 tonnes, up from 180,200 tonnes during the same period of the 2024/2025 season – a 63.9 percent year-on-year increase in volume.
At the start of the season, industry players projected a 47 percent increase in domestic olive oil production to a record 500,000 tonnes. A bumper harvest was expected to boost export supplies and strengthen Tunisia’s position in global markets.
ONAGRI also highlighted a persistent structural weakness in the sector. Bulk shipments continue to dominate exports, accounting for 87.5 percent of volumes. Bottled oil represents only 12.5 percent of export quantities, although its share is slightly higher than the 11.9 percent recorded a year earlier. This limits Tunisia’s ability to earn higher margins and capture more value from international markets.
If current momentum continues through the remainder of the 2025/2026 marketing year, Tunisia could set new export records in both volume and value. Olive oil typically accounts for more than half of the country’s agricultural export revenue each year.
TunisianMonitorNews
