Tunisia’s food trade surplus reached TND 919.8 million in the first nine months of 2026, marking a significant improvement from TND 621.3 million in the same period of 2025. The National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI) attributed this growth to a stronger performance in food exports, particularly olive oil, which saw a 37.4% increase in shipments. The food import coverage ratio also improved, rising to 116.3% from 112.8% a year earlier, indicating that export revenues are increasingly financing food imports.
The surge in olive oil exports was the primary driver of this positive shift, despite a slight annual decline of 2.6% in its average export price, which settled at TND 12.54 per kilogram. Other agricultural exports experienced mixed price movements, with fishery products and citrus fruits seeing declines of 10.3% and 12%, respectively, while tomatoes and dates saw modest price increases of 8.4% and 0.7%. These variations highlight the diverse price performance across Tunisia’s agricultural export portfolio.
On the import side, cereal imports increased by 19.5% in value, though lower international prices for several grains helped moderate some of the additional costs. Durum wheat prices dropped by 13.5%, while soft wheat and maize prices also decreased slightly. However, higher import prices for sugar (up 9.4%) and vegetable oils (up 4.7%) added to the food import expenditure. Milk and dairy products provided some relief, with a 6.9% decline in import prices.
Overall, Tunisia’s food trade performance in 2026 reflects a stronger export contribution, particularly from olive oil, alongside continued growth in food imports. The 19.9% increase in food export value, compared with a 16.3% rise in imports, helped expand the trade surplus. However, rising cereal import values and higher costs for sugar and vegetable oils remain important considerations for maintaining this positive trend.