• Tunisia promotes olive oil exports during Wuhan trade visit
• Talks focus on improving logistics, port access in Hubei
• Strategy targets Asia amid record production, stiff competition
  

A delegation from Tunisia’s Ministry of Trade and Export Development, led by Mourad Ben Hussein, Director General of the Export Promotion Center (CEPEX), visited Wuhan, in China's Hubei Province, as part of efforts to promote Tunisian olive oil in the vast Chinese market.

According to reports from Tunisian media on Friday, October 17, discussions with Chinese authorities focused on strengthening logistics and port services to streamline trade procedures for exporting Tunisian olive oil to the province, which has a population of nearly 60 million.

The push to target Hubei comes days after the Tunisian government announced a directive to diversify its olive oil shipments by focusing on Asian and South American countries. This strategy is timed to capitalize on projected record-high olive oil production for the 2025/2026 season.

Despite its vast potential, China remains a secondary market for Tunisian olive oil. Trade Map data shows that China imported 29,850 tons of olive oil, valued at nearly $208.17 million, in 2024. Spain dominates this market, accounting for 92% of the volume and 88% of the value of Chinese imports.

In contrast, Tunisia exported only 19 tons to China in the same year, generating $229,000 in export revenue. The Tunisian government, which aims to increase the country's market share in China, will face stiff competition not only from Spain but also from other better-positioned secondary suppliers, including Italy, Australia, France, and Greece.

Stéphanas Assocle