The success of the 2025-2026 olive growing season was the focus of a restricted Ministerial Council on Saturday at the Government Palace in Kasbah, chaired by the head of government Sarra Zaafrani Zenzeri. Faced with the strategic challenges of this historic sector, the government presented a comprehensive plan aimed at supporting producers, securing stocks and boosting exports.
Priority for smallholders and labor mobilization
The Council insisted on the need to put small producers at the heart of the campaign, by allowing them to benefit from subsidies from the Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency (APIA) for the acquisition of harvesting equipment. Labor mobilization is also considered crucial to ensure efficient and smooth harvesting.
Storage and financial support
To secure production, the National Oil Office (ONH) is responsible for implementing a storage program of 100 to 150 thousand tons of oil, with bonuses and additional subsidies for farmers.
On the banking front, the Central Bank of Tunisia will intervene to restructure the debts of oil mills in difficulty, while public and private banks will support producers throughout the chain, from harvest to export.
International expansion
The government also wants to stimulate domestic consumption, by reducing the margins applied in supermarkets and encouraging the marketing of packaged oil at affordable prices.
On the export side, Tunisia is banking on increasing volumes towards its traditional markets, but also on diversification towards Latin America and Asia, with an ambitious communication and promotion strategy to win over new customers.
The Council decided to launch a strategic study on the olive sector, covering production, financing, valorization and export, as well as a restructuring plan for the ONH, in order to guarantee better governance and strengthen the international positioning of Tunisian oil.
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