Title: Tunisia's economy hit by olive oil glut - The Washington Post
Headings: Tunisia is one of the world’s top olive oil producers. But now, it’s facing a crisis of too much.
Tunisia is one of the world’s top olive oil producers. But now, it’s facing a crisis of too much.
Content: This glut has exacerbated the effects of what was already a global slump in olive oil prices. Story continues below advertisement
Tunisian producers are reporting dramatic price drops, with a kilogram of freshly produced virgin olive oil on average fetching about $1.50 in January, according to National Olive Oil Office chief executive Chokri Bayoudh. Prices for raw olives have dropped even more sharply, meaning small growers like Sid who do not make their own oil are bearing the brunt. Advertisement
“It’s a catastrophe, especially for small farmers,” said Faouzi Zayani, vice president of national farmers union Synagri. Olive oil constitutes half the country’s agricultural exports. More than 300,000 farmers rely on olives for at least some income, and the olive sector employs nearly 10 percent of the entire workforce, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Story continues below advertisement
The Phoenicians introduced olives to the area nearly 3,000 years ago. Empires came and went, but the olive tree endured as a hallmark of daily life and cultural heritage. Proverbs herald its bounty, and olive oil remains a popular home remedy for sore throats and dry skin. “There is no Tunisia without olive trees,” said Selim Ben Ali, a 22-year-old seasonal worker who spends each harvest camped out on a Sfax orchard.