National Plan for Margines Management: A Step Towards Sustainable Agriculture
The head of the National Environmental Protection Agency (ANPE), Taoufik Gargouri, emphasized on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the importance of developing a national plan for managing margines to ensure their proper use and exploitation of their benefits, which would have a positive impact on the agricultural sector. This is particularly significant, as poor management of margines has negative effects.
Key Points
- A national plan for managing margines is essential for guiding decision-making regarding impact assessments and considering all aspects of managing this material.
- There are problems in managing margines, including their spreading and distribution among olive tree rows.
- Estimates for this season indicate a production of 500,000 m³ of margines.
- The benefits of spreading margines include their water content, organic components, and substances that resist parasitic weeds, provided they are dispersed and spread in a healthy and correct manner.
Coordination and Control
Gargouri highlighted the importance of coordination between different authorities involved in managing margines. To achieve this, two committees have been established in each governorate:
- A committee to monitor oil mills (presses)
- A committee to monitor the use of margines spreading on agricultural land
Enforcement and Control Measures
- Continuous control visits to oil mills are being conducted, with infractions resulting in measures that can lead to the closure of the oil mill. Recently, a decision was made to close two oil mills.
- Control of storage basins is also being enforced, with 43 control operations conducted last season, resulting in 23 infringement reports.
- The largest storage basin is located in the governorate of Sfax, with a collection capacity of 300,000 m³. Most exceedances are found in anarchic storage basins.
Regulatory Framework
Gargouri explained that creating a storage basin requires presenting an environmental impact study to the ANPE services. This ensures that the management of margines is carried out in an environmentally responsible manner.
