Japan supports a label project for Tunisian olive oil

The JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) is setting up a program to create a Tunisian label for olive oil.

It was thanks to the results of the Tunisian-Japanese cooperation project SATREPS, entitled “Valorisation of bio-resources in arid and semi-arid environments for the creation of new industries”, that the agency judged the desirability of such a program And decides to rely on a strong network of producers of one of the country’s flagship products.

The study shows that Tunisian olive oil, due to the varieties of olive trees, contains a high content of antioxidants, antiallergic and molecules that can contribute to the fight against certain cancer diseases. In fact, Tunisian olive oil exceeds the ordinary feed to become a functional food.

In order to promote Tunisian olive oil in Japan, several Japanese companies have launched market prospections. They make every effort to overcome the obstacles limiting its development as packaging and logistics for the transport to Japan.

Japanese consumers at Foodex (one of the major exhibitions in the agri-food sector in Asia) held in Japan during the month of March are familiar with the functional aspects of this oil. A culinary specialist made a demonstration on site to convey to the visitors of the Tunisian stand the taste qualities of his olive oil.

According to the National Oil Board, the quantity of olive oil exported in packaged has increased 20 times in 10 years, from 1,000 tons in 2006 to 20 thousand tons in 2016. Tunisia is the first exporting country To the world of olive oil.