How to Become an Olive Oil Exporter in Tunisia

Article

In brief. Becoming an olive oil exporter in Tunisia follows a precise order: set up a company with an export purpose, obtain a customs code, secure the olive oil export approval (specifications via the ONH / Ministry of Agriculture), have each lot analysed in an IOC-accredited laboratory, gather the documentary set (invoice, packing list, B/L, certificate of origin, phyto) and secure the payment. There is a faster route to start: exporting under a partner's approval via a commission contract. Training in export beforehand avoids costly mistakes of incoterm, customs and quality.

Olive oil export is not reserved for large groups: it is a framed and accessible procedure, provided the order of steps is respected. Skipping a box — the approval, the per-lot analysis, the right incoterm — is paid for with a blocked container or a wiped-out margin. Here is the complete path.

What are the steps to become an olive oil exporter?

Becoming an exporter follows six steps in order: (1) set up a company with an export purpose, (2) obtain a customs code, (3) secure the olive oil export approval (ONH), (4) have each lot analysed in an IOC-accredited lab, (5) build the export documentary file, (6) secure the payment. An alternative exists to start: go through a partner's approval as an exporter.

Each step conditions the next: without a customs code, no usable approval; without analysis, no compliance; without documents, no clearance.

Step 1 — The legal structure and the customs code

You first need a Tunisian company whose corporate purpose authorises the trade and export of agri-food products. Once registered, the company obtains a customs code (customs identifier) essential to any export operation.

This code is the key that connects you to the customs system: without it, no export declaration is possible. It is the administrative foundation of everything else.

Step 2 — The olive oil export approval (ONH)

Olive oil is a regulated product for export in Tunisia. You must obtain the export approval issued within the framework of specifications managed by the National Oil Office (ONH), under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture.

This approval certifies that you meet the quality, traceability and compliance conditions required to export olive oil. It is the specific pass for this sector: it cannot be bypassed.

The fast route to start. Obtaining your own approval takes time. Many newcomers first export under a partner's approval that is already approved, via a commission contract. You save time and learn the trade before equipping yourself with your own approval.

Step 3 — Per-lot analysis in an IOC-accredited laboratory

Each lot intended for export must be analysed by an IOC-accredited laboratory (obligation attached to the ONH). The analysis produces the COA (certificate of analysis) that certifies the chemical parameters and the category of the lot.

For an extra virgin, the lot must in particular meet:

Parameter	Extra virgin threshold	What it measures
Free acidity	≤ 0.80%	Degradation of the fruit
Peroxide value	≤ 20 mEq O₂/kg	Oxidation / freshness
K270	≤ 0.22	Oxidation, trace of refined

The per-lot COA is non-negotiable: it is what any serious buyer demands before buying, and what conditions clearance on arrival.

Step 4 — The documentary file

A missing document immobilises the container at customs. Build the complete set from the negotiation stage:

Proforma invoice then commercial invoice
Packing list
Bill of lading (B/L) or transport letter
Certificate of origin — EUR.1 for the European Union, Arab certificate of origin for the Gulf (GAFTA)
Phytosanitary certificate and, depending on the market, a health certificate
COA of the lot

The complete list of export documents specifies who issues what and within what timeframe.

Step 5 — The incoterm and the price

The incoterm defines who pays what and how far your responsibility goes. For a first export, keep it simple:

FOB: you deliver the goods loaded at the port of departure (Radès); the buyer handles freight and insurance. It is the standard to start.
CIF: you go as far as freight and insurance up to the destination port, against a delivered-to-port price.

Avoid DDP with an unknown client: it makes you carry the entire destination clearance. The incoterms guide details each case, and the export cost calculator costs your FOB or CIF price before quoting.

Step 6 — Secure the payment and find your clients

Never deliver without a firm order + deposit on order + balance against documents, or better, against a confirmed letter of credit. On the prospecting side, the typical buyers are importers, distributors, packers and brand creators (private label) — each market having its specificities.

Depending on your outlet, certain certifications become necessary: organic if you sell organic, IFS/BRC for large retail, the FDA scheme for the United States. They follow the market, not the other way around — see the certifications hub.

The mistake that costs the most

Getting started without mastering export: wrong incoterm, poorly estimated customs tariff, non-compliant labelling, unsecured payment. A single one of these mistakes can wipe out a container's margin, or even block it at customs. Before your first shipment, get trained in the fundamentals: the export training covers the procedure, documents, incoterms and payment security to start on a solid footing.

FAQ

Do you need an approval to export olive oil in Tunisia?

Yes. Olive oil is regulated for export: you need the export approval issued within the framework of specifications managed by the National Oil Office (ONH), under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. To start, you can also export under a partner's approval that is already approved, via a commission contract.

What steps to become an olive oil exporter?

Set up a company with an export purpose, obtain a customs code, secure the ONH export approval, have each lot analysed in an IOC-accredited laboratory, build the documentary file (invoice, packing list, B/L, certificate of origin, phyto) and secure the payment. Each step conditions the next.

What is the customs code and how do you obtain it?

It is your company's customs identifier, essential to any export operation. It is obtained once the company is registered with a corporate purpose authorising the trade and export of agri-food products. Without this code, no export declaration is possible.

Can you export without your own ONH approval?

Yes, to start. Many newcomers first export under a partner's approval that is already approved, via a commission contract. This allows you to learn the trade and save time before building your own approval file.

Which incoterm to choose for a first export?

FOB if you want to deliver the goods loaded at the port of departure and let the buyer handle freight; CIF if you prefer to propose a delivered-to-port price. Avoid DDP with an unknown client, as it makes you carry the entire destination clearance.

Should you get trained before becoming an exporter?

It is strongly recommended. A mistake of incoterm, a poorly estimated customs tariff, non-compliant labelling or an unsecured payment can wipe out a container's margin. Training in the fundamentals of export beforehand avoids these costly mistakes. See our export training.

Are you preparing your exporter activity? Request a quote for a compliant lot (COA, documents, incoterm) or get trained in export to master each step before your first shipment.