Though endowed with a vast array of varieties that have adapted to its
many environmental conditions, Tunisian olive oil production mostly relies on
two cultivars: Chemlali, representing 70% of the olives employed, and
Chetoui.
We shall now venture into a relatively unexplored territory, namely the
Tunisian olive farming and oil producing sectors. Here, over one third
of the agricultural land is planted with olive trees and their fruit,
though only accounting for roughly 15% of the overall agricultural
production, make up 50% of all the goods of agricultural origin that
Tunisia exports worldwide.
Currently, with its 1.82 million hectares, Tunisia is the second country
for amount of land covered by olive groves, corresponding to
approximately 82 million trees. In the last 10-15 years, the
country’s average yearly production has ranged around 185 thousand
tonnes, and Tunisia therefore ranks fourth among the leading olive
oil-producing countries, after Spain, Italy and Greece. In 2014-15
however, the season was particularly good, with a record production of
340 thousand tonnes.
Though endowed with a vast array of varieties that have adapted to its
many environmental conditions, Tunisian oil production mostly relies on
two cultivars: Chemlali, representing 70% of the olives employed, and
Chetoui, which accounts for 10%. These two varieties are often blended
together, to make an extremely balanced oil.
There are also many lesser varieties, cultivated from the more northern
regions of the country, with a damper climate, to those furthest south,
which are more arid and hostile. Chemlali, the most popular cultivar in Tunisia, especially in its
central and southern regions, gives a sweet oil, with only the slightest
bitterness, and no pungency at all. The other variety mentioned, Chetoui, is mostly cultivated in the North, and gives a more bitter and intensely fruity oil.
Among the lesser varieties, worth mentioning is Sayali, cultivated in
the northern part of the country. It is quite bitter and is therefore
often blended with Chetoui. Another variety found in these regions is
Oueslati, which yields a delightfully scented oil. In the southern,
desert areas, there are two rustic varieties: Zalmati and Zarrazi. This
latter one gives a sweet oil, which is always in great demand on the
local market. The south is also the home of Chamchali, a variety that
produces an extremely fruity oil, whereas Jarboui, cultivated further
north, yields an intensely scented oil.
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