Food Security Snapshot: Tunisia’s Agricultural Recovery in 2025

The GIEWS Country Brief for Tunisia highlights significant improvements in food security, including enhanced cereal crop conditions due to abundant rainfall in early 2025, a recovery in 2024 cereal production, below-average cereal import forecast, and easing food inflation rates.

This article provides an insightful overview of the current food security situation in Tunisia as of March 26, 2025. The country has experienced abundant rainfall, particularly in January, which has considerably improved the conditions for the 2025 cereal crops. The winter cereal cropping season began with dry weather; however, the recent increase in rainfall is expected to enhance crop yields, especially if the favorable conditions continue through to May 2025.

Cereal production recorded a significant recovery in 2024, reaching approximately 1.5 million tonnes. This output is nearly threefold that of the drought-stricken 2023 figures. Although still about 6 percent below the five-year average, improved weather patterns between December 2023 and April 2024 have positively influenced crop growth, particularly in northern and central Tunisia.

The forecast for cereal import requirements for the 2024/25 marketing year indicates a below-average need of 3.5 million tonnes. Of this total, wheat imports, which account for over half of the cereal imports, are expected to be around 2 million tonnes, reflecting a slight increase attributed to the favorable wheat production achieved in 2024.

Food inflation trends have shown an easing effect throughout 2024, with figures indicating a year-on-year rate of approximately 7 percent in February 2025. This marks a notable decrease from a peak of about 16 percent observed in May 2023. The rising prices of key commodities such as bovine meat, fish, and poultry contribute significantly to inflation, while oil prices have seen a decline, further impacting overall food costs in Tunisia.

In summary, Tunisia’s food security situation appears promising with a significant recovery in cereal production due to favorable weather conditions. The country’s import requirements are forecasted to be below average, indicating improved local production capabilities. Furthermore, food inflation has shown signs of easing, benefiting consumers compared to the previous year’s highs. If positive weather patterns continue, the outlook for 2025 remains optimistic for the agricultural sector in Tunisia.

Original Source: reliefweb.int