Tunisia’s olive-oil-growing governorate of Gafsa has readied 37 oil mills — both modern and traditional — for the 2026/27 harvest season, local officials confirmed at a coordination meeting held on October 7, 2026.
The meeting, held at the Gafsa governorate headquarters, brought together regional agricultural officials, mill operators, and other stakeholders in the olive oil supply chain to review preparations ahead of this year’s harvest. Olive groves across Gafsa cover an estimated 87,840 hectares, one of the larger olive-growing areas in southern Tunisia.
Mill Capacity and Storage in Gafsa
According to figures presented at the meeting, Gafsa’s 37 oil mills have a combined daily processing capacity of about 2,225 tonnes of olives, with storage capacity for up to 3,548 tonnes of oil. The chief of the plant production unit at the region’s Regional Commissariat for Agricultural Development (CRDA) presented current harvest data and outlined measures already underway to prepare for the season, along with proposed solutions to outstanding challenges. Suppliers working with Tunisian Olive Oil Trade regularly draw on mills with this kind of modern processing capacity, which allows olives to be pressed within hours of harvest — a key factor in producing low-acidity, high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Coordination Challenges Ahead of Harvest
Participants at the meeting stressed the need for stronger coordination among everyone involved in the production chain, from harvesters and transporters to mill operators. The governorate’s secretary general called on all parties to finish their preparations and mobilize the resources needed to get the season off to a smooth start, specifically pointing to harvesting, transport, and processing as the stages most likely to affect final product quality if not well managed. For buyers sourcing Tunisian olive oil, this kind of advance coordination across the supply chain is a positive signal: oil quality depends heavily on how quickly olives move from tree to mill, and regions actively managing that logistics chain tend to deliver more consistent extra virgin grades.
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FAQ
How many olive mills does Tunisia’s Gafsa region have? Gafsa governorate in southwestern Tunisia has about 37 olive oil mills, combining modern and traditional presses, with a combined daily processing capacity of roughly 2,225 tonnes of olives and storage capacity for up to 3,548 tonnes of oil.
When does Tunisia’s 2026/27 olive oil season start? Tunisia’s 2026/27 olive harvest and milling season is getting underway in October 2026, with producing regions like Gafsa finalizing mill readiness, workforce, and transport logistics at coordination meetings held in early October.
Source: African Manager
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