Tunisian Wine and Olive Oil Tasting Evening at the Hilton The Hague
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
The foyer of the Hilton Hotel in The Hague was chosen as the venue by H.E. Karim Ben Bécher, Ambassador of Tunisia to host a promotional evening featuring Tunisian wine and olive oil.
The Ambassador had invited businesspeople, fellow ambassadors and friends to the wine and olive oil tasting evening.
For a picture album on the successful Tunisian wine and olive oil tasting, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157660770459835
In his welcome remarks the ambassador related how well these two sectors are prospering. The ambassador further remarked, the cultivating of olive oil dates back to the eight century B.C.E. Tunisia is the first country ever to export olive oil, and this was centuries ago. Ambassador Karim B.Becher invited his guest to taste the wine, olive oil and the accompanying Tunisian antipasti.
Tunisia in 2014-2015, was the world’s largest exporter of olive oil and the second largest producer, processing more than 250 000 tones of olive oil. Olive oil is Tunisia’s main agricultural export item to the EU. It is also an important agricultural resource which provides direct and indirect employment to more than a million Tunisians.
Competitors on the international olive oil market are closely monitoring developments. European farmer and cooperative organization Copa Cogeca has criticized Competitors on the international olive oil market are closely monitoring developments. European farmer and cooperative organization Copa Cogeca has criticized the European Commission’s plans to significantly increase duty-free import quotas for Tunisian olive oil.
Apart from olive oil, Tunisia also exports wine. Wine, (olive) oil and honey have been with us for eons, in biblical times these three products were top commodities. It was then said that “wine makes man’s heart rejoice, makes the face shine”.
The quality of the Tunisian wines is rich in alcohol content, with low acidity, and soft [and pleasant as is the character of new wines?] with the character of new wines and an alcohol percentage of 11 to 12° for both red and rosé, and a slightly lower percentage for white. The Office National de la Vigne de Tunisie, ensures the high standard of wine produced in the country.
In 2012, 225,000 bottles of wine were exported to France, Germany and Morocco. Furthermore, Japan, Ivory Coast and Canada also purchase Tunisian wine.
The Tunisian wine and olive tasting evening on 26 October could be classified as a success and in the words of one olive oil exporter, it gave us a good opportunity to market our product. A Tunisian newspaper referred to the promotional evening as a laudable initiative by Tunisia’s dynamic Ambassador Karim Ben Becher. We are anticipating seeing Tunisian wine and olive oil on Dutch shelves in the near future said the Ambassador.
Tunisia is concluding 2015 on a positive note with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to a group of civil society organizations and the launching of negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Tunisia.
