US imposes additional 12.5% tariff on Turkish olive oil and olives
The United States has introduced an additional 12.5% tariff on olive oil and olive products from Turkey, on top of the existing base customs duty. Turkish exporters warn that preferential treatment for competitors could undermine access to their largest market ahead of an expected strong harvest.
Tariff puts Turkey at a competitive disadvantage
The United States has begun applying an additional 12.5% tariff to olive oil and olive products shipped from Turkey, on top of the existing base customs duty. Turkish industry representatives say the measure could bring exports to their most important market close to a halt if it is not revised before the next harvest.
Turkey’s competitors do not face the same conditions. Tunisia has been left outside the new additional tariff and continues to pay the existing base customs duty, according to Ekonomim. Products from the European Union face a 10% levy, compared with the 12.5% rate imposed on Turkey.
Emre Uygun, chairman of the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters’ Association, said the difference places Turkey in the most disadvantaged position among major suppliers. The association has raised the issue with Turkey’s Ministry of Trade and other government bodies.
US accounts for 43% of Turkish olive oil shipments
The commercial exposure is substantial. During the first nine months of the 2024/25 export season, Turkey’s olive sector generated $480 million in export revenue, including $118 million from the United States. Turkey exported 44,097 tonnes of olive oil over the period, with 19,041 tonnes delivered to the US.
That means 43 out of every 100 tonnes of exported Turkish olive oil went to the American market. In the first six months of 2026, Turkey earned a further $20,577,863 from olive oil exports to the United States.
Davut Er, deputy chairman of the exporters’ association, described the US as Turkey’s largest market for olives and olive oil. He said American annual olive oil imports from all origins are nearly equal to Turkey’s total production, making the market particularly difficult to replace.
Strong harvest could increase pressure on sellers
Exporters expect a strong crop in the new season, but the tariff could prevent them from using that supply advantage. If direct access to the United States weakens, Uygun warned that Turkish olive oil may instead be sold as raw material to other major producing countries, including Spain and Italy.
Such a shift would leave Turkish suppliers competing more heavily in bulk channels rather than capturing the value available through direct sales to the US. It could also give Tunisia and European suppliers more room in the American market because of their lower tariff burden.
Er said alternative destinations such as Australia, Brazil, India and South Korea are being developed, but growth in those markets is not sufficient to replace the United States. The US is the world’s second-largest olive oil buyer and consumer after the European Union, according to his assessment reported by Ekonomim.
Exporters seek government negotiations
Industry representatives are asking the Turkish government to seek removal of the additional duty through talks with US trade and economic authorities. They argue that Turkey’s wider political and security relationship with the United States has not been reflected in the treatment of olive products.
Without a change, the combination of a large expected harvest and weaker access to the leading export destination could increase pressure on Turkish producers and traders. The tariff gap will also influence purchasing decisions among US importers, particularly where Turkish, Tunisian and EU-origin oil can serve similar market segments.
