Tunisian Farmers Union President Warns of Crisis in Grain Production
In the face of skyrocketing production costs and climate-related challenges, Midani Dhaoui, president of the Tunisian Farmers Union (Synagri), sounded the alarm and called on the government to revise its tariff policies to save the grain production sector.
During a day of awareness on equipment maintenance and fire prevention, Dhaoui made an urgent request for an immediate increase of at least 20 dinars per quintal in the reference price of grains. He justified this demand to ensure the coverage of high production costs and preserve the national production system.
For the union leader, this revaluation is a matter of survival. He recalled in a statement to Diwan Fm that the reference prices have not changed in three years, while costs continue to soar. The price of equipment has skyrocketed, and chronic shortages of seeds and fertilizers have disrupted the financial balance of farms. "A combine harvester now costs nearly 500,000 dinars," he noted.
The Weight of Climate and Fiscal Uncertainty
In addition to prices, Dhaoui pointed out outdated and obsolete quality classification criteria. These standards, he explained, unfairly penalize farmers, depriving them of essential premiums when crops are affected by late rains or unpredictable climate changes.
The union president called for a review of the levies destined for the Compensation Fund and the Natural Disaster Indemnization Fund, arguing that it is necessary to alleviate the fiscal pressure on producers.
Food Sovereignty
The issue goes beyond the agricultural sector. According to Dhaoui, adjusting prices and securing a profit margin for farmers is the only way to ensure the sustainability of national production. "In a global market marked by strong instability in prices, supporting the Tunisian producer has become a strategic priority for the country's food security," he emphasized, while calling for support for national production circuits.
