The Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, called on banks to strengthen their support for exporters of olive oil and dates, as part of a national strategy aimed at supporting the production, processing and valorization of Tunisian products abroad.
The financing of these exports was in fact at the center of a meeting held on Wednesday November 12, 2025 and chaired by the minister at the department’s headquarters, in the presence of representatives of several banks, the Export Promotion Center (Cepex), the Tunisian Company for Foreign Trade Insurance (Cotunace), the General Directorate of Customs and other relevant structures.
Samir Abid insisted on the essential role of financial institutions in financing exports throughout the year, particularly in a context of a record harvest expected for both olive oil and dates. He called on banks to provide greater support to economic players, as partners in the value chain, “from production and processing to promotion and export”believing that this dynamic contributes to strengthening the national economy and consolidating Tunisia’s presence on international markets.
The minister also stressed that his department has developed a promotion program dedicated to the main exported products, led by olive oil and dates. He emphasized the need to support the productive base, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by ensuring them better access to financing and investment. “Strengthening production constitutes a strategic priority”, he said, calling for concrete solutions to be found to the difficulties encountered by companies, from financing to the promotion of their products.
For their part, the participants underlined that the financing of SMEs operating in these two sectors represents a major axis of the action of their institutions. They indicated that credit lines have been mobilized to support purchasing, storage, packaging and export operations. They also reiterated their commitment to supporting companies, particularly in the storage phase, while pleading for better information sharing and strengthened coordination between the different stakeholders.
Recall that at the beginning of October, the governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia, Fethi Zouhaier Nouri, held a meeting with the president of the Banking and Financial Council as well as with several directors of public and private banking institutions.
The objective was to ensure effective financing of the season and to support all links in the sector, from production to marketing.
Mr. Nouri then called on the banking sector to strengthen its support, to stimulate the economic cycle and to support Tunisian exports. The banks, for their part, reaffirmed their commitment to providing the necessary financing and resolving the debt problems of players who encountered difficulties during the previous campaign, thus contributing to the stability of the market and the positioning of Tunisia on its traditional markets.
In response, the Banking and Financial Council (CBF) announced the support of the banking sector for the smooth running of the olive harvest for the 2025-2026 season, specifying that “ in order to successfully complete the 2025-2026 harvest season and in support of the State’s efforts in this area, all banks are providing stakeholders in the olive sector – farmers, processors and exporters – with the necessary financing to support their activity and allow them to work in the best conditions, in accordance with the laws and regulations in force. ».
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Tunisian exports of olive oil reached 239,000 tonnes in August 2025, an increase of 35% compared to the same period of the previous year. However, the sector has gone through a turbulent period in recent months, marked by the arrest of several key players and the flight abroad of a major exporter, disrupting the dynamics of the sector and highlighting the importance of structured financial support for the current season.
The minister finally announced the upcoming organization of an information and awareness day, which will bring together all stakeholders – administrative structures, financial institutions and exporting companies – in order to deepen reflection on the issues of storage, export and promotion of Tunisian products. This initiative aims to lay the foundations of a sustainable support strategy, facilitating access for Tunisian exports to world markets, while consolidating the country’s presence on its traditional markets and exploring new promising outlets.
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