The olive harvesting and processing season in Banzart, Tunisia is scheduled to start on November 1, 2026. The decision was made during a meeting of the regional committee responsible for preparing for the season, which was held at the governorate of Banzart. The committee set the reference price for olive oil production at 200 millimes per kilogram.
The governor of Banzart, Salem Ben Yaakoub, emphasized the importance of ensuring a successful harvest and processing season, given the strategic significance of the olive sector in the national economy. He called for continued efforts to address any potential challenges or issues that may arise during the season, and stressed the need to provide adequate social coverage and safe transportation for workers.
The regional agricultural authority has estimated that the current season's production will reach 16,000 tons of olives, equivalent to 3,200 tons of olive oil. The authority has prepared for the season by setting up 25 olive oil presses in various production areas, including 9 traditional and 16 modern presses, 7 of which are equipped for export.
The regional agricultural authority has also made arrangements to provide two olive oil storage facilities in Mateur and Banzart Sud, as well as a number of tanker trucks to collect olive oil from producers. An agreement has been signed with several olive oil producers to provide a 150-hectare area for storing olive oil, which will help reduce the environmental impact of the production process.
The regional agricultural authority has also reported that the olive groves in Banzart are healthy, with no significant issues related to the bacterial disease "olive knot". The authority has pledged to continue monitoring the situation and implementing preventive measures to protect the olive groves.
Banzart is one of Tunisia's major olive-producing regions, with 21,000 hectares of olive groves, including 20,000 hectares of olive trees for oil production and 1,000 hectares for table olives. The region has a daily storage capacity of 1,280 tons and a daily processing capacity of 1,048 tons.
The olive sector in Banzart is supported by several initiatives, including a project to develop integrated management of the Wadi Al-Malih dam basin, which includes 600 hectares of olive groves, and a program to conserve water and soil, which covers 250 hectares of olive groves.
Key points
- The olive harvesting and processing season in Banzart, Tunisia is set to begin on November 1, 2026.
- The estimated production for the current season is 16,000 tons of olives, equivalent to 3,200 tons of olive oil.
- The regional agricultural authority has made arrangements to support producers, including providing olive oil storage facilities and tanker trucks.
