Pomegranate Season Looks Promising in Béja
Despite a slight decrease in production compared to last year, the harvest is estimated at 15,000 tonnes, with 12,000 tonnes coming from the Testour delegation alone, one of the largest pomegranate production basins in Tunisia.
Kamel Abidi, head of the agricultural extension unit in Testour, explained that this decline of 4,000 tonnes (compared to 19,000 tonnes last year) is mainly due to climatic factors, such as high temperatures during flowering, as well as diseases and pests. However, the arrival of rainfall is expected to improve the quality of the fruits, particularly for the "Guebsi", "Ettounsi", and "Chemlali" varieties.
Challenges Facing the Pomegranate Sector in Testour
Despite satisfactory production, the sector faces several major challenges:
- Marketing: This is the main concern for farmers, who struggle to sell their products.
- Labor: The lack and high cost of labor for harvesting are also obstacles.
To overcome these difficulties, producers are calling for the creation of cold storage facilities and the opening of new export markets, in order to better valorize the pomegranate of Testour and ensure the sustainability of this sector.
This year, the pomegranate cultivation areas in Béja cover 1,600 hectares, with 1,250 hectares concentrated in Testour and Slouguia, on the banks of the Medjerda river.
