The Ukrainian war caused a significant increase in grain prices, Tunisia, which imports 66% of it from the Black Sea region, decided to draw up a plan to build on its ability to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of durum wheat.
The Ukrainian crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Tunisian authorities to quickly think about solutions and rethink their grain production policy.
According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), between 2012 and 2016, Tunisia purchased about 33% of its needs for durum wheat, 71% barley and 85% soft wheat.
In addition, the unstable political climate played an important role and affected manufacturing operations, especially since the country has not been stable since 2011, and many governments have succeeded without being able to develop a clear strategy for this sovereign sector.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in turn, is working to increase the area of land devoted to the cultivation of soft wheat by 30% next season, in addition to providing farmers with good seeds, providing technical support for production processes and enabling small investors to receive state-guaranteed loans.
