Meeting at the Carthage Palace: President Kaïs Saïed Discusses Agricultural Development
The President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, held a meeting on December 15, 2025, at the Carthage Palace, with Ms. Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri, Head of Government, and Mr. Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries.
Key Discussion Points
During the meeting, the Head of State emphasized the need to remove all obstacles, particularly those faced by small farmers, regarding olive pressing, storage, and marketing. He stressed the importance of combining the efforts of all parties involved, innovating new measures, establishing flexible financing lines, seeking new markets, and setting a reference price that guarantees farmers' rights in their entirety. This comes after Tunisia has been blessed with a record olive harvest.
Call to Action
The President of the Republic also affirmed that there is no excuse for hesitation or reserve. Tunisia is a unified state, and it is the responsibility of all, both in the public and private sectors, to work towards achieving the aspirations of the Tunisian people. Those called upon to fulfill their duty must respond to this call, and it is not acceptable to let farmers abandon the olive harvest. This is a national wealth, and every citizen must work not only to preserve it but also to develop it, just like other national wealth.
Review of Agricultural Offices
The meeting also discussed the situation of several offices created in the early 1960s, whose role has weakened to the point where some have become, or almost become, mere relics. For example, the Oil Office had a storage capacity of approximately 350,000 tons in 1962. However, this capacity has gradually decreased and does not exceed 90,000 tons this year, after being around 80,000 tons the previous year. This development is below expectations and requires urgent action so that this office can fulfill the role for which it was created.
Instructions for Agricultural Development
Furthermore, the President of the Republic gave instructions to work on making local seeds and fertilizers available in all regions of the Republic. The Head of State finally reaffirmed that Tunisia is capable of fully ensuring its food security, which is a component of its national security, and that the security of Tunisia, its resilience, dignity, and the perpetuity of its institutions take precedence over all other considerations.
