Food Trade Balance Shows a Surplus of 424.9 MD at the End of January 2026
Source: National Agriculture Observatory (ONAGRI), published Monday.
Key figures
| Indicator | Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 (same month) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food‑trade balance | +424.9 MD | +175.1 MD | +149.8 MD |
| Coverage rate (exports ÷ imports) | 190.3 % | 125.1 % | +65.2 pp |
| Food export value | ↑ 2.7 % | – | – |
| Food import value | ↓ 32.5 % | – | – |
| Food imports / total imports | 7.1 % | – | – |
| Food exports / total exports | 16.9 % | – | – |
| Contribution to offsetting the overall trade deficit | 33 % of the deficit | – | – |
| Overall trade deficit (all sectors) | –1 287.6 MD | – | ↓ 27 % |
Price movements (export side)
| Product | Price change vs. Jan 2025 |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | ‑3.2 % (average export price now 11.94 DT/kg) |
| Tomatoes | ‑27.5 % |
| Fish & seafood products | +12.1 % |
| Dates | +3.7 % |
| Citrus fruits | +17.7 % |
Price movements (import side – cereals & related products)
| Product | Price change vs. Jan 2025 |
|---|---|
| Durum wheat | ‑16.7 % |
| Soft wheat | ‑10.5 % |
| Maize | ‑8.7 % |
| Barley | +13.2 % |
| Sugar | +44.0 % |
| Vegetable oils | ‑6.7 % |
| Milk & dairy derivatives | ‑9.2 % |
Interpretation
- The food‑trade surplus more than doubled year‑on‑year, lifting the coverage rate to 190 %, well above the 125 % recorded a year earlier.
- Export values grew modestly (+2.7 %), while import values fell sharply (‑32.5 %), indicating stronger external demand for Tunisian agri‑products and/or reduced domestic consumption of imports.
- Prices for traditional export commodities such as olive oil and tomatoes fell, whereas high‑value items like fish, dates, and citrus saw price gains, reflecting shifting market dynamics.
- On the import side, cereal prices dropped significantly, easing pressure on the trade balance, while sugar prices surged, partially offsetting the gains.
- Food trade now accounts for 16.9 % of total exports but only 7.1 % of total imports, underscoring its role as a net earner for the country.
- The surplus covered one‑third of the overall trade deficit, helping to narrow the deficit by 27 % compared with the same period last year.
Related article
Read also: Food trade surplus of 823.4 MD at the end of July 2025
All figures are expressed in million dinars (MD) unless otherwise noted.
