Page 48 - AA 2023 Year Book Website

Tunisia

TUNISIA FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKET - GROWTH,

TRENDS, COVID-19 IMPACT, AND FORECASTS (2022 - 2027)

The global COVID-19 pandemic had a the total export earnings in the region. peaches with 9,200 metric ton. Morocco,
significant impact on the fruit and vegeta- Tunisia is the second-largest exporter of Libya, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain
ble market in Tunisia. The supply of fruits organic products, with an area of 297,137 are some of the major importers of Tu-
was negatively affected due to lockdown hectares. Its share of total agricultural nisian fruits, whereas Italy, France, the
and social distancing measures as fruit land is 3.0%, which mainly includes olive, Netherlands, and Germany are the major
farming is labor-intensive. The transpor- date, vegetable, aromatic and medicinal importers of Tunisian vegetables.
tation problems due to COVID-19-related plants, and vines. About 80.0% of the Tu-
restrictions reduced the fruit and vegeta- nisian organic produce is exported, and Vegetable Production
ble market supply to the local markets, it is the only African country that has the Dominates the Market
resulting in the stockpiling with the pro- recognition of equivalence with the EU Tunisia leads in the production of veg-
ducers, leading to wastage of food. and Switzerland pertaining to organic ag- etables compared to fruits, which ac-
The Tunisian fruit and vegetable mar- riculture. counted for 3,138,362 metric ton in 2020.
ket is one of the strategic sectors of the Export of Fruits and Vegetables This was a 3.22% increase compared
country’s economy. In 2020, Tunisia pro- to the production volume in 2019. Fruit
duced 3.14 million metric ton of vegeta- The exceptionally dry climate of Tuni- production increased in 2020, account-
bles, 1,423,000 metric ton of tomatoes, sia contributes to a very low incidence of ing for 1,310,961 metric ton. Tomatoes,
366,000 metric ton of citrus, and 332,000 aflatoxin in the dried fruits and, thereby, onion, chili, pepper, carrots, pumpkins,
metric ton of dates. Tunisian agriculture it has made the country one of the major and cucumber are some of the vegeta-
is of vital importance, as it contributed to exporters of dried fruits in that region. bles grown majorly in the region, among
9.1% of the GDP in 2020. Olives, dates, The geography and the proximity to which tomatoes and potatoes are the im-
and fresh fruits are grown for both inter- large international markets, like the Euro- portant comestibles of Tunisians.
national and domestic consumption. Ag- pean, Middle Eastern, and North African The cultivation of processing toma-
ricultural produce contributes to 6.0% of (MENA) regions, have made Tunisia the toes occupies a strategic position in the
gateway for other African countries. Mini- agricultural development policy of the
mum support price, market liberalization, country. According to the Ministry of ag-
enhanced rural transport infrastructure, riculture, the sector mobilizes more than
and incentives for investment are also 10,000 farmers, with a total area that ex-
driving the fruit and vegetable market in ceeded 16,000 hectares in 2020, for an es-
Tunisia. timated production of 1.2 million metric
According to the data, pomegranates ton. Thus, the production of vegetables in
and watermelons were Tunisia’s most the region has been significantly increas-
exported fruits in 2021, with volumes ex- ing in recent years, showing growth in
ceeding 12,000 metric ton, followed by production.

PROJECT LAUNCH WORKSHOP ON “SOCIAL PROTECTION OF ARTISANAL

FISHERMEN IN TUNISIA: TOWARDS BETTER SOCIAL COVERAGE”

The social protection of artisanal fisher- Paraguay, Tunisia is a beneficiary of com- generates income for more than 90% of
men in Tunisia: towards better social cov- ponent 4, devoted to social protection for fishermen in the country.”
erage is the subject of a launch workshop artisanal fishermen and aquaculture. Ms. Maha Mezrioui, Director General
organized under the aegis of Mr. Malek Ez- In its “Report on social protection and of CRES, addressed the issue of the resil-
zahi, Minister of Social Affairs and Mr. Ab- fisheries in the Mediterranean region”, the ience of fishing workers by guaranteeing
delmonem Belaâti, Minister of Agriculture, GFCM-FAO estimates the number of arti- them the right to sustainable social protec-
Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries. Its im- sanal fishermen in Tunisia at 35,450, repre- tion and affirmed the commitment of the
plementation was the subject of a memo- senting around 70% of the workforce in the Ministry of Social Affairs to ensure social
randum of understanding signed between fishing sector. In his speech, Mr. Philippe protection for all, including those working
the FAO and the Center for Research and Ankers, FAO Coordinator in North Africa informally.
Social Studies (CRES) under the Ministry and Representative of Tunisia, underlined
of Social Affairs. the diversity of so-called artisanal fishing
This project, funded by the Norwegian in Tunisia and its economic and social im-
Agency for Development Cooperation portance. “This sector highlights local re-
(NORAD), is part of a global project re- sources, preserves ancestral fishing tech-
lating to the responsible use of fisheries niques that are part of the Tunisian cultural
and aquaculture resources for sustainable heritage, contributes significantly to agri-
development. Along with Colombia and cultural exports in Tunisia, but above all,

46 Arab Agriculture 2023