Tunisia faces tomato shortages and rising prices due to climate factors

Tunisia is facing a tomato shortage and rising prices, with costs nearly doubling to between 3 and 4.500 dinars per kilogram. The scarcity is attributed to a combination of market regulation issues, distribution failures, and severe climatic challenges.

Agricultural experts, including Midani Dhaoui, president of the Tunisian Farmers' Union, report that high temperatures during the flowering period caused flowers to drop, disrupting fruit development and reducing yields. This has particularly impacted production zones such as Sbiba, Foussana, and Fériana. Additionally, Abdallah Sahraoui, president of the Sahline Oilseed Growers' Union, highlighted that unprecedented temperature rises and acute water scarcity are degrading product quality and availability.

The market is currently in a seasonal transition as greenhouse production in the Sahel ends and supply shifts toward seasonal zones like Sidi Bouzid and Kasserine. While a stock of approximately 60,000 tonnes of processed tomatoes from the previous campaign exists to help stabilize supply, prices are expected to remain high until early harvests from the next campaign begin in January.