Tunisian olive oil: record exports to Europe
EU quotas, organic quality, competitive prices: Tunisia is becoming a strategic supplier of the European olive oil market.
A record season
The 2024-2025 campaign confirmed Tunisia as the world's 2nd largest olive oil exporter (behind Spain). With production estimated at 340,000 tonnes, nearly 80% exported, the country plays a key role in European supply.
The 2025 context
- Iberian droughts: Spanish and Italian production remains under pressure
- High world prices: ~€7-9/kg wholesale, vs €3-4 five years ago
- Rising EU demand: Tunisia benefits from a preferential quota of 56,700 tonnes/year duty-free
Why source in Tunisia
Quality and traceability
More than 100 Tunisian mills are certified organic (USDA, EU Organic). Local varieties (Chetoui, Chemlali, Oueslati) offer distinctive taste profiles sought after by European bottlers.
Private-label bottling
Many Tunisian companies (Sfax, Sousse, Mahdia) offer private-label services: bottling in 250 ml to 5 L under your brand, custom labeling, export palletization.
Mastered logistics
- Bulk tanker: Sfax → Marseille in 4 days
- Palletized 20' container: ~10,000 1L bottles
- Production lead time: 3-5 weeks after firm order
Certifications to require
- EU Organic (if organic)
- IFS / BRC for retail chains
- Halal / Kosher depending on market
- HACCP systematically
Pitfalls to avoid
- Buying without analysis: always require an analysis certificate (acidity, peroxides, K232/K270)
- Underestimating glass cost: bottles can represent 30-40% of the final cost
- Neglecting EU labeling: mandatory mention of category, origin, batch number, best-before date
Calendar
- Harvest: November-February
- Best bulk prices: December-March
- Stocks depleted: September-October (wait for the new campaign)
Looking for a Tunisian olive oil producer? TuniTrade references certified organic mills and export bottlers. Request your contacts — proposal within 72h.
