Tunisia on Track to Achieve Self-Sufficiency in Durum Wheat This Season

Tunisia may reach self-sufficiency in durum wheat this season, according to Hammadi Boubakri, a member of the executive board of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (UTAP).

Speaking on a private radio station on Monday, Boubakri stated that the country's needs range between 12 and 15 million quintals, quantities that could be covered based on current indicators, thereby alleviating pressure on the state budget and reducing import costs.

The positive results achieved are thanks to regular and well-distributed rainfall throughout the season, which has had a positive impact on crop growth and yield improvement, he noted.

However, Boubakri emphasized that imports will still be necessary for soft wheat intended for bread and flour production, due to higher consumption than local production, despite an increase in cultivated areas compared to the previous season.

The areas planted with cereals have reached approximately 834,000 hectares in the north and 157,000 hectares in the center of the country, according to the same source, which also stated that, according to official evaluations, 70% of the crops are in excellent condition, 25% are in average condition, and only 5% are below average, which reinforces hopes of achieving a harvest of around 20 million quintals.

Boubakri also indicated that various stakeholders in the sector are working to ensure the best conditions for a successful campaign, particularly in terms of collection centers, transportation, and storage.

Highlighting that storage remains one of the main challenges of the cereal system every year, the responsible person stated that the relevant authorities have taken several measures to increase storage capacity by exploiting large warehouses and preparing them to receive the expected harvest.

Boubakri also called for a review of the prices of cereal acceptance to take into account the increase in production costs resulting from the rise in prices of phytosanitary products and the multiplication of treatments against weeds and fungal diseases.

In the same vein, the responsible person called for expanding irrigated crops and making water available to farmers at reasonable costs.