The 2025‑2026 Cereal Campaign Started in Half‑Measures, Stumbling Over Seed and Fertilizer Shortages
No cereal farmer denies that the sowing campaign for 2025‑2026 began in a half‑hearted way, hampered by difficulties in accessing wheat seed and other fertilising inputs needed for plant and soil nutrition. This breakdown in the supply of essential agricultural raw materials has inevitably slowed the progress of the season. Below is a mid‑season assessment.
Growing Discontent Over Seed Shortages
La Presse – Faced with an alarming shortage of seeds, our farmers broke their silence and protested the passivity of the authorities, demanding timely intervention.
For a cereal sector that depends on climate and a precisely calibrated crop package, everything must be handled delicately. Substantial, episodic inputs are supposed to be delivered in defined quotas to ensure natural seed growth. Yet, from the very start of the season, it was clear that the officially announced preparations fell short of expectations, and the stock of seeds and fertilisers would not meet the heightened demand.
A Cumulative Delay
- The ministry’s forecasts were wildly inaccurate.
- Only a limited number of farmers actually received their seed quota.
- Many others struggled to obtain seeds on time.
The result: a cumulative delay that left numerous regions in limbo. The shortage is felt almost everywhere, disrupting the normal flow of the cereal campaign and even affecting the plant’s growth cycle. The supplies of seeds and fertilisers (DAP, ammonium nitrate, etc.) will only cover ≈350,000 ha out of a total 1 million ha cultivated area. The remaining land risks remaining unseeded.
By the end of the sowing period in December, nothing had changed. This lack of reaction appears to be a “run‑ahead” without a clear plan. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Grain Office remain silent; no concrete response has been observed.
“Our decision‑makers act in reverse, without strategy or vision. In an agricultural country like ours, cereal growers must play a leading role in shaping the sector’s overall direction,”
— a farmer from north‑west Tunisia.
He was not alone in receiving only half the seed quantities he needs; his colleagues faced the same shortfall.
Turning to New Varieties
Quality and Profitability: The Variety Question
The core issue lies in the choice of varieties. The so‑called “autochthonous” seeds—Karim, Razzek, Khiar, Chili, and others—are not Tunisian in origin. They are very old, no longer profitable, and far from performant.
“These already‑improved varieties, derived from genetically crossed components, no longer meet today’s production, productivity, or quality requirements. We need new varieties better adapted to the current cropping context,” explains Prof. Walid Hamada, a plant‑biotechnology and plant‑protection researcher at INAT, specialised in cereals, especially wheat.
The varietal problem is decades old. In 1986, a group of about thirty Maghreb and Tunisian scientists—including former State Secretary Abderrazak Daâloul—warned that the aforementioned seeds had lost fertility and should be replaced to boost productivity.
Prof. Hamada notes that INAT has been working hard to develop new varieties, but the research process takes at least ten years. Italy, a pioneer with a centuries‑long experience, is a key partner.
“We also have research partnerships with Italian universities to find innovative solutions that generate high‑quality, prolific, and climate‑resilient varieties,” he adds, highlighting the fruitful cooperation established in 2005 with PSB‑Bologna, a leading durum‑wheat breeder.
The First Successes: Saragolla and Iride
Through a public‑private partnership, the two new varieties—Saragolla and Iride—were introduced into the official varietal catalogue.
The initiative took off after a July 2007 visit to Italy by a delegation of experts and farmers, part of a pilot project led by the Cereal Growers’ Association of Béja (presided by the late General Youssef Baraket) and supported by the supervising ministry. The goal: aid the state’s push toward durum‑wheat self‑sufficiency, a non‑negotiable condition for food security.
“It was essential to boost a public‑private partnership to bring these two varieties on board and register them officially,” recalls Abdelmonôm Khelifi, the farmer who promoted the initiative.
Proven Performance in the Field
Tested in seven north‑west governorates, the varieties have delivered impressive results:
- Rain‑fed or irrigated conditions yielded >70 quintals / ha.
- Record‑high, bakery‑grade durum wheat quantities.
Farmers who have already trialled the seeds confirm the yields, and many in the north‑west are demanding the varieties each year. In durum wheat, variety choice is far from arbitrary; separating the “good grain from the chaff” is crucial.
By contrast, the older local varieties average ≈15 quintals / ha, far below the level needed to satisfy even one‑third of the nation’s durum‑wheat demand.
Why Innovation Is Imperative
With climate change and water stress intensifying, Tunisia must invest in innovative agricultural solutions.
“Scientific and applied research must go hand‑in‑hand to develop new durum‑wheat varieties capable of meeting environmental, climatic, and economic challenges,” stresses Mr. Khelifi. “Our current partnership with PSB‑Italy bridges scientific research and practical application, aiming for productive, climate‑adapted, drought‑resistant wheat.”
A Win‑Win Solution
The two high‑performing varieties are already in high demand.
“If they’re so sought after, why don’t we import larger quantities to meet the demand? Importing 3 billion tons of wheat each year just to cover half our needs drains foreign‑exchange reserves. Scaling up imports of these superior varieties would strengthen our currency reserves and generate funds to replenish the state treasury,” suggests Khelifi, framing the argument as a win‑win for both the state and the farmer.
In other words, this management model would block speculative wheat cartels that currently dominate the sector and its marketing channels. Food security must remain the top priority—our bread is not a game.
Keywords: Tunisia, cereal campaign, wheat seed shortage, fertilizer shortage, durum wheat, new varieties, Saragolla, Iride, public‑private partnership, food security, climate‑resilient agriculture, INAT, PSB Bologna.
