Investment opportunities for Tunisian olive oil in international export markets

22 November 2023: A conference was held on investment opportunities in the Tunisian olive oil sector to share the results of the activities and define the next steps of a ten-year cooperation program between the EBRD and the FAO to stimulate the economy of the sector and promote rural development opportunities.

Since 2013, the Tunisian Government has been working to unlock the potential of its quality olive oil through a cooperation program with the EBRD and FAO. A combination of agri-food investments, innovative marketing, and capacity-building activities along the value chain aims to stimulate a transition from mass production to bottled oils.

“We have had productive discussions with private stakeholders to see how, with the Ministry and other public authorities, we can put Tunisian olive oil on the international map, help local producers access high value-added export markets and improve product quality, while helping the sector be resilient to climate change." said FAO economist Lisa Paglietti, who leads the project, summarizing the achievements of the FAO-EBRD project.

A green-print for the future of Tunisian olive oil

Sustainable agricultural practices were also high on the agenda of the conference as the project had activities on environmentally friendly production practices allowing the sector to be more climate-resilient and reduce the industry’s footprint, including efficient water and energy resource management, biodiversity conservation and responsible waste disposal. Capacity-building activities during the project included a series of posters and training initiatives such as on biosecurity in the field, on sustainable production, and on transformation and conservation.

A menu of presentations and discussions resulting in priority setting

Lisa Paglietti, Economist, FAO leading the project, summarized the achievements of the FAO-EBRD project and elaborated on the potential for digitalizing the sector in support of sustainable natural resources management, production efficiency, quality control and food safety. She also explained how Tunisian olive oil companies could leverage big data and technologies such as artificial intelligence and GIS to improve production processes and meet evolving consumer demands.

Mauro Meloni, Director of the Italian Consortium CQverde highlighted the importance of improving the quality of olives delivered to the mills and introducing incentives for the implementation of good production practices. These priorities were identified for the sector in Tunisia through a mill mapping exercise aimed at identifying key areas of investment in the sector.  

Prof Ayadi, olive oil expert, University of Liége, presented the significance of market diversification, branding and certification to increase market recognition and competitiveness in the sector. 

A future built on ancient cultural foundations

The Tunisian olive sector dates to pre-Roman times. Today, with the right investments, export strategies, food safety measures and branding, it stands at the edge of a renaissance.

“By identifying and exploiting sector opportunities, Tunisia can promote sustainable economic development, stimulate agricultural innovation, and strengthen its position as a leading global supplier of quality olive products,” commented Associate Director, Head of Advisory/ Agribusiness at the EBRD. “This conference has stimulated an open dialogue between private stakeholders and government authorities on investment needed to incentivize supply chain efficiency, quality olive oil production and develop this strategically important sector for Tunisia.”