Tunisia's Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries recently hosted a national dialogue workshop to develop an integrated vision for the country's olive oil sector by 2050. The workshop, held in Tunis on December 24, brought together representatives from public and private sectors, professional organizations, international institutions, financial institutions, and experts. The event was organized by the Directorate General of Agricultural Production in coordination with concerned structures, with funding from the Unit for Managing the Association Agreement Program (UGP3A) and the World Bank.
The minister of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries, Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, presided over the workshop and emphasized that developing an integrated vision for the olive oil sector aligns with the ministry's strategic orientations. The vision aims to respond to economic, climate, and technological changes, and to strengthen the sector's contribution to economic growth, food security, export development, job creation, and natural resource valuation and environmental preservation.
Ben Cheikh highlighted that the next stage requires a prospective vision based on clear and achievable objectives, taking into account international market trends and regional production systems. He stressed the need to prioritize strengthening the sector's resilience to climate change, optimizing resource use, modernizing production and transformation techniques, valorizing by-products, and supporting research, innovation, and investment.
The minister noted that a development plan for the olive oil sector has been elaborated by the agricultural department within the framework of the 2026-2030 Agricultural and Fisheries Development Plan. The integrated vision for the sector's development by 2050 is based on the sector's significant socio-economic weight, with the national olive grove covering over 2.1 million hectares and comprising more than 147 million trees distributed across 309,000 farms.
The olive oil sector generates 10% of the country's agricultural production value and 44% of agricultural exports. In the 2025/2026 season, the sector recorded a production of 500,000 tons, representing a 47% increase, and exported 381,200 tons, up by 50.8%. Ben Cheikh emphasized the need to focus efforts on increasing added value, diversifying markets, and promoting packaged olive oil.
The minister concluded that the success of the integrated vision for 2050 relies on the complementarity of efforts between the state, producers, industrialists, exporters, and financial partners to consolidate the sector's economic, social, and environmental role. The national dialogue workshop aimed to bring together stakeholders to discuss and agree on a strategic vision for the development of Tunisia's olive oil sector.
The event demonstrated the government's commitment to developing the olive oil sector, which plays a vital role in Tunisia's economy and agriculture. The integrated vision for 2050 is expected to guide the sector's development and ensure its sustainability and competitiveness in the global market.
Key points
- The national dialogue workshop aimed to develop an integrated vision for Tunisia's olive oil sector by 2050.
- The sector generates 10% of the country's agricultural production value and 44% of agricultural exports.
- The vision aims to strengthen the sector's contribution to economic growth, food security, and environmental preservation.
