The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Tunisian global shipments during 2020. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Tunisia.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: US$3.9 billion (27.7% of total exports)
2. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $2.1 billion (15%)
3. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $911.7 million (6.5%)
4. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $763.2 million (5.5%)
5. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $569.3 million (4.1%)
6. Footwear: $559.4 million (4%)
7. Mineral fuels including oil: $528.9 million (3.8%)
8. Machinery including computers: $493.3 million (3.5%)
9. Vehicles: $460.1 million (3.3%)
10. Plastics, plastic articles: $415.4 million (3%)

Tunisia’s top 10 exports accounted for 76.3% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Animal or vegetable fats, oil and, waxes was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 63.5% from 2019 to 2020.

In second place for improving export sales was knitted or crocheted clothing or accessories via a 38.1% gain.

Tunisia’s shipments of footwear posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 29%.

The leading decliner among Tunisia’s top 10 export categories was mineral fuels including oil thanks to a -35.9% drop in revenues year over year.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, insulated wire or cable represents Tunisia’s most valuable exported product worth 13.1% of the country’s total. In second place was olive oil (6.3%) trailed by unknitted and non-crocheted men’s suits and trousers (6.1%), unknitted and non-crocheted women’s clothing (3.9%), automobile parts or accessories (2.9%), phone system devices including smartphones (2.7%), lower-voltage switches and fuses (also 2.7%), processed petroleum oils (2%) and leather footwear (1.9%).

The following types of Tunisian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.

In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.

1. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): US$2 billion (Up by 37.2% since 2019)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $1.2 billion (Up by 32.6%)
3. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $756.7 million (Up by 109.1%)
4. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $642.5 million (Up by 49.3%)
5. Footwear: $426.8 million (Up by 56.5%)
6. Fruits, nuts: $272.4 million (Up by 1.6%)
7. Miscellaneous textiles, worn clothing: $205.4 million (Up by 71%)
8. Inorganic chemicals: $166 million (Down by -33.2%)
9. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $154.6 million (Down by -20.2%)
10. Aircraft, spacecraft: $92.2 million (Down by -59.3%)

Tunisia has highly positive net exports in the international apparel trade. In turn, these cashflows indicate Tunisia’s strong competitive advantages under the clothing and accessories product categories whether or not knit or crocheted.

Tunisia incurred an overall -$2.3 billion trade deficit for 2020, down by -65.5% from -$6.6 billion in red ink one year earlier.

Below are exports from Tunisia that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Tunisia’s goods trail Tunisian importer spending on foreign products.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: -US$1 billion (Down by -63.4% since 2019)
2. Machinery including computers: -$831.3 million (Down by -38.4%)
3. Cereals: -$830.1 million (Up by 4.6%)
4. Plastics, plastic articles: -$655.8 million (Down by -12.5%)
5. Vehicles: -$481.1 million (Down by -27.7%)
6. Pharmaceuticals: -$406.1 million (Down by -13.4%)
7. Iron, steel: -$355.4 million (Down by -24.1%)
8. Cotton: -$331.8 million (Down by -41.2%)
9. Knit or crochet fabric: -$278.5 million (Up by 98.1%)
10. Oil seeds: -$265.9 million (Down by -12.9%)

Tunisia has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the mineral fuels including oil category–particularly refined petroleum oils and petroleum gases.

Tunisian Export Companies

Not one Tunisian corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000.

Wikipedia lists exports-related companies from Tunisia. Selected examples are shown below.

• Evertek (telecommunications)
• Groupe Mabrouk (food, beverages)
• Industries Mécaniques Maghrébines (automobiles)
• Vermeg (technology & software)
• Wallyscar (car manufacturer)