• Tunisia, the world's third-largest olive oil exporter, plans to expand into Asian and South American markets.
• The country anticipates a record olive oil production of 500,000 tonnes for the 2025/2026 campaign.
• Diversification aims to reduce reliance on traditional markets and mitigate the impact of new U.S. import tariffs.

President Kaïs Saïed stated on October 6 that numerous countries in Asia and South America have expressed interest in importing Tunisian olive oil. Saïed made these remarks during a meeting with Agriculture Minister Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, held amidst preparations for the 2025/2026 marketing campaign.

Local media, including La Presse de Tunisie, relayed that the initiative seeks to diversify olive oil exports beyond traditional markets, particularly the European Union and the USA. This diversification comes as local olive oil production prospects appear promising.

Observers project Tunisia's olive oil production to reach 500,000 tonnes this year. This forecast, if confirmed, would represent a 47% increase from the previous campaign's 340,000 tonnes and establish a new record for the sector. Concurrently, export volumes are expected to grow further year-over-year.

Diversifying market outlets aims to reduce Tunisia's dependence on existing markets and mitigate the impact of anticipated competitiveness losses in the U.S. market. Washington implemented additional 25% taxes on Tunisian imports in August 2025. While the specific Asian and South American countries targeted for export diversification remain unidentified, significant growth potential exists for Tunisian exporters in these two regions.

In 2024, Tunisia's olive oil sector exported to only six countries in Asia and South America: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Vietnam, India, Japan, and Argentina. Data compiled on the Trade Map platform indicates these six countries accounted for only 1.4% of the sector's total $1.68 billion export revenue for the entire year.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum