Several Tunisian farmers have suspended or boycotted the olive harvest during the 2025-2026 olive growing season, denouncing the collapse in prices offered by oil mills and believing that the prices do not cover their production costs. This situation, which endangers the agricultural season and the income of producers, has prompted a formal reaction from Parliament.
The prices of olive oil currently offered in oil mills are, according to the National Oil Office, between 11 and 14 dinars per liter, depending on the quality and the region. For many farmers, these levels remain too low to cover production costs and ensure a viable margin; some farms are even considering suspending picking completely until sales conditions improve.
This pressure on prices comes at a time when Tunisia is experiencing significant olive production: the previous 2024-2025 campaign had already reached an estimated production of 340,000 tonnes, leading to a drop in prices on the domestic market.
According to industry sources, this drop in prices has led some producers to delay or stop harvesting, believing that it is economically unviable to sell their production at prices below cost. This situation is not new: during the previous campaign, the rate of progress of the harvest was limited, with a direct impact on the quality and final volume of oils produced.
Impacts on the harvest
Faced with the scale of the crisis, the Committee on Agriculture, Food Security, Water and Fisheries of the Assembly of People’s Representatives sent a letter calling for an emergency meeting with the government. This session, scheduled for December 15, 2025, should bring together representatives from the ministries of Agriculture, Finance and Trade to analyze the causes of the collapse in prices and identify rapid measures to stabilize the sector.
The parliamentarians described the situation as a threat to social peace in rural areas, insisting on the need for a thorough review of pricing policies and support mechanisms for farmers.
In addition to the price dispute, the Tunisian olive sector faces broader challenges, notably the increase in exported volumes but a drop in export revenues due to the decrease in prices on international markets. Between November 2024 and March 2025, for example, despite an increase in exports, revenues fell by around 25.8%, clearly illustrating the pressure on producer margins.
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