As Ramadan 2026 Approaches, Ministry of Trade and Export Development Takes Steps to Stabilize the National Market
As Ramadan 2026 draws near, the Ministry of Trade and Export Development is taking proactive measures to stabilize the national market. In close collaboration with representatives from various professional sectors, the authorities have implemented a strict price cap on essential consumer products, including fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish. Ramzi Trabelsi, head of the National Observatory for Supply and Prices, revealed the details of a comprehensive roadmap in an interview with the TAP agency. This strategy aims not only to regulate tariffs to prevent inflationary drift but also to secure the supply of goods during this period of high demand.
This year, Tunisia is experiencing a lull in price increases, with an inflation rate that stabilized at 4.8% in January 2026, marking a significant improvement compared to the average of 5.3% recorded throughout the previous year. However, vigilance is still necessary to counter artificial price hikes and speculative maneuvers that could disrupt this fragile balance. To achieve this, the administration has relied on precise regulation of profit margins. In detail, wholesale prices for fruits and vegetables are now strictly capped, while retail margins cannot exceed 25% in traditional commerce and 15% in large-scale distribution. The poultry sector is not exempt from this rule, with margins limited to 15% for ready-to-cook chicken and 20% for turkey cutlets, as well as fish, whose profit margin is now capped at a maximum of 25%.
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Key Measures to Stabilize the Market
- Strict price cap on essential consumer products, including fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish
- Regulation of profit margins to prevent artificial price hikes and speculative maneuvers
- Wholesale prices for fruits and vegetables are strictly capped
- Retail margins cannot exceed 25% in traditional commerce and 15% in large-scale distribution
- Margins limited to 15% for ready-to-cook chicken and 20% for turkey cutlets
- Profit margin for fish capped at a maximum of 25%
