Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of Tunisia: A Market Study

World demand for aromatic and medicinal plants (AMP), as well as the essential oils and extracts from these plants have been expanding because of their diversified and extensive usage. Demand for essential oils and plant extracts is driven by food flavoring industries, cosmetic and fragrance industries, and demand for industrial solvents. The principal consumers of all market classes of essential oils are the United States, Western Europe, and Japan. There are ten essential oil crops that account for 80% of the world market for essential oils. Based on the global AMP market demand, this article mainly addresses the “constraints on” and “opportunities for” expansion of this sector, which were ascertained through meetings with Tunisian AMP exporters and processors, literature reviews, and by collating responses to the Tunisian Exporter Marketing Survey. Based on these inputs, recommendations have been formulated to help capitalize Tunisia's comparative advantages to overcome the constraints and maximize opportunities.