Olive Harvest Season: Tunisia Expects a Bumper Crop
The Secretary-General of the National Federation of Olive Producers within the UTAP, Mohamed Nasraoui, announced on Monday, October 6, 2025, that forecasts for the upcoming olive season suggest a harvest superior to the previous one, provided that the autumn is rainy. He explained that autumn rains are the determining factor in estimating yields.
Preparations for the Upcoming Season
In a statement to Mosaïque, Mr. Nasraoui specified that the agricultural organization participated in several meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture and presented a series of proposals and recommendations in preparation for the next season. These concern the financing of the harvest, the storage of oil, and the interventions of the National Oil Office (ONH), which provides a mechanism for regulating the sector. He added that the organization awaits the Ministry's decisions this month, coinciding with the start of the harvest, to enable farmers to work in better conditions.
Storage and Financing
Regarding storage, Nasraoui affirmed that there are no difficulties at this level, as "Tunisia has a storage capacity of over 400,000 tons of olive oil, between private companies and the Oil Office, with 100,000 tons for the Office alone." He emphasized the importance of financing storage for mill owners and exporters: "We want financing for the system after the farmer, given that the farmer is ready and the harvest is ready to be sold." Mr. Nasraoui requested that the storage subsidy, granted to farmers, exporters, and oil mill owners, cover the costs of monthly bank interest for each kilogram of oil, specifying that this request has been submitted to the Ministry by the Federation of Olive Producers.
Marketing and Exportation
At the marketing level, the Secretary-General affirmed that the marketing of Tunisian olive oil generally does not pose a problem. He indicated that 252,000 tons of olive oil had been exported until the end of August last year. "The oil is usually exported after April, and we encounter difficulties only during the peak harvest period, which extends from mid-December to the end of January. If we manage to control the supply during this period, we can market the oil without problems," he stated.
Valorization of Olive Oil for Export
Mr. Nasraoui mentioned efforts to valorize olive oil for export in packaging. He specified that over 30,000 tons of packaged Tunisian olive oil were exported last season, a first for such a conditioned quantity, and expressed hope that the next season will see the export of even more significant volumes of packaged Tunisian olive oil.
Promising Markets in Africa and Asia
Mr. Nasraoui estimated that Tunisia still exports significant quantities to the Italian and Spanish markets, which are its main competitors, and that work is underway to penetrate new promising markets in Asia and Africa. He highlighted that the American market is important for Tunisian olive oil, "it's the first market to which Tunisia exported significant quantities of packaged olive oil last season." Nasraoui added that Tunisian exporters are exploring the possibility of finding solutions to the problem posed by former US President Donald Trump's decision to increase tariffs on imports from global markets, including Tunisia.
Prices
Regarding prices, Nasraoui estimated that the price of oil in Tunisia is subject to the global price and remains acceptable on the domestic market, as long as the supervisory authority intervenes to adjust the price to consumption if necessary. "We do not want high prices so that Tunisians do not reject them, but we also do not want prices that are too low so that the farmer can cover their production costs and maintain the sustainability of the sector," he stated.
Record Harvest Expected
Experts' estimates suggest that Tunisia could achieve a record olive harvest during the 2025-2026 season, exceeding the previous season's harvest and potentially reaching 500,000 tons. The Ministry of Agriculture had previously confirmed the existence of positive indicators for this season and emphasized the need to address the gaps of the previous season and coordinate efforts between the different parties to ensure the success of the season, particularly in terms of production, processing, and exportation.
