In Tunisia, fruit exports have experienced a downturn, with a 22.1% decrease in volume, totalling 12,748 tons, and a 30.9% reduction in value, reaching TND 45.5 million up until July 3, as per the latest figures from the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI). This decline was observed across various fruit categories, including peaches, nectarines, apricots, dried almonds, plums, and watermelons, despite a 10% increase in the production of summer stone fruits for the 2023/2024 season. The production for this season is estimated at 245,000 tons.
The export slump has been attributed to the timing of the Eid al-Adha holiday, which impacted the export volumes, particularly to Gulf countries. According to data from the Inter-Professional Fruit Grouping (GiFruits), the majority of the exports were directed to Libya, accounting for 72.3% of the total exports, followed by Italy. The decrease in exports to these countries was significant, with a notable preference for watermelons in the Italian market.
Source: zawya.com