Madrid, 15 de enero de 2012- During the 2010/2011 season, Tunisia exported a total of 107 million metric tonnes of olive oil, amounting to 430 million dinars or over euro215 million, according to figures released by the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture and Environment
The European Union, especially Italy but also France and to a lesser degree Spain, purchases olive oil from Tunisia, ahead of the US, which accounts for about 25 of sales, up 6 from last season Out of a total production of about 170,000 metric tonnes, 107,000 tonnes are exported and 10,000 of these are organic oil, acquired principally by the United States
Tunisia, with 17 million hectares of olive groves, is in second place behind Spain in terms of surface area and stands ahead of the second and third global producers, Italy and Greece, respectively The International Olive Council predicts that Tunisia will harvest close to 180,000 tonnes in the 2011/2012 season, an amount similar to that expected by Turkey, another major world producer
It is in this context, where Tunisia holds a major place as a producer, that the World Bulk Oil Exhibition was created, to be held in Madrid on the 12th and 13th April, combining quantity and quality in a global gathering of buyers and sellers of bulk olive oil, which aims to boost worldwide business transactions of a product that totals around three million metric tonnes produced each year, with an equivalent amount being consumed
But olive oil is still a stranger in many circuits that this international meeting, in the same vein as the World Bulk Wine Exhibition, aims to open, while also strengthening and increasing the flow in existing channels, both in the European Union, with Italy, France and Portugal in the lead, and in countries such as USA, Japan, Brazil or China
With production in recent years exceeding 12 million tonnes, Spain has become the major producer, followed by Italy, which also has an important olive oil culture and an extensive sales network to these can be added other countries with long-standing traditions of culinary oil production and consumption, such as Greece, Portugal, Morocco and Syria
The World Bulk Oil Exhibition aims to boost international transactions in olive oil and other gourmet oils, while simultaneously showcasing the high quality of the bulk oils already on the market, and passing on the great wealth of varietal oils and oils produced with a mixture of several olive varieties
For two whole days, Spain#39s capital will be the world capital for olive oil, a product that is an inseparable part of the Mediterranean culinary tradition and which plays a major role in the cuisines of many gastronomically rich countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Tunisia
For further information
Cristina Villar Miranda
Communications manager
press@worldbulkoilcom
0034 686 702587
wwwworldbulkoilcom
