Tunisia | Olive Oil and Date Campaign Financing Shows Positive Signs

President of the Banking and Financial Council (CBF), Néji Ghandri, stated that the banking and financial sector is ready to support the new olive oil and date campaign by providing necessary financing to various actors in the value chains, including farmers, industrialists, collectors, and exporters. In a statement to Diwan FM, Mr. Ghandri emphasized that the CBF, in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, organized an information and awareness day at its headquarters on Friday, October 16, 2026, focused on financing the exports of olive oil and dates. The objective was to present available financial solutions and support professionals in meeting their financing needs during the new campaign. Ghandri noted that the banking sector recorded a record volume of financing allocated to the olive oil industry during the previous season, reaching approximately 3.2 billion dinars. He added that, although final data regarding the volume of the current harvest and the season's needs are not yet available, Tunisian banks are ready to mobilize additional financing capacity, including short-term financing to support export operations, as well as medium-term financing aimed at investment in oil mills and date collection centers. Ghandri also mentioned field visits conducted by technical advisors from the banking sector, in collaboration with professional chambers, the Tunisian Union of Industry, Commerce, and Crafts (Utica), and professionals, with the aim of determining the actual needs for the season and defining the necessary financial resources.