Olive Farmers in Tunisia Lament Price Drop Despite Climb in Oil Prices
The agriÂculÂtural farmÂers union in Sfax, Tunisia has urged the National Oil Office to regÂuÂlate the falling export price of olives, which has decreased from 6,200 to 5,650 Tunisian Dinars per ton. Despite a record olive crop this year, local olive proÂducÂers are protestÂing that the decreased price does not cover their proÂducÂtion costs, potenÂtially impactÂing Tunisia’s olive oil exports.
The regional union of agriÂculÂtural farmÂers (synÂdiÂcat régional des agriculÂteurs) in Sfax, Tunisia called for the National Oil Office (Office National de l’Huile) to take swift action to regÂuÂlate the export price of olives.
Faouzi Zayani, direcÂtor of the union, declared that the falling price is due to a decrease in the export price for olives from 6,200 to 5,650 Tunisian Dinars per ton ($2,796 to $3,038). He appealed to the minÂisÂter of agriÂculÂture to interÂvene and revise the price. Local olive proÂducÂers have protested that the decreased price does not cover their proÂducÂtion costs.
Tunisia had a record olive crop this year with an estiÂmated 260,000 tons harÂvested, comÂpared to only 70,000 tons last year. This repÂreÂsents a 370 perÂcent increase, with Tunisia leadÂing non-EU counÂtries in olive proÂducÂtion levÂels. The olive-growÂing region of Sfax accounts for 30 perÂcent of Tunisia’s olive crop.
Meanwhile, at the end of last month the price of Tunisian extra virÂgin olive oil had risen to €2.88/kg, an increase of 24 perÂcent comÂpared to last year.
Tunisia’s olive oil exports have increased sigÂnifÂiÂcantly in the past few years, repÂreÂsentÂing 40 perÂcent of Tunisia’s agriÂculÂtural exports, and 10 perÂcent of all national exports. It was estiÂmated that this year there would be 170,000 tonnes of olive oil for export, which would bring in revÂenue in excess of 1 bilÂlion Tunisian Dinar ($538,289,540), accordÂing to the direcÂtor of food indusÂtries.
However, despite this year’s bounÂtiÂful crop, it seems that Tunisian olive farmÂers may get less than they barÂgained for.
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