Ramzi Trabelsi, director of the National Observatory of Supply and Prices at the Ministry of Trade, has declared that the potato crisis will be resolved in December, pointing out that this period coincides with autumn.
In an interview with Africanmanager ar, he assured us that his department is continuing its “war” against speculators.
He also pointed out that the prices of various agricultural products are currently experiencing a significant drop in production and prices.
The potato crisis is due to the fact that this period coincides with the structural autumn deficit, which started at the beginning of November and will last until December.
“We know that the period when the seasons cross is filled by injecting buffer stocks into the markets. However, in recent years there has been a reduction in the area under potatoes due to drought and lack of rainfall,” he said.
He added: “The area under cultivation has fallen from around 10,000 hectares to around 8,000 hectares, which has affected production levels and consequently buffer stocks, which have not been sufficient to meet the demand for potatoes in the various governorates of the republic.
Crisis will be over by mid-December
On another front, the official said it was likely that the crisis would be resolved in the first half of December, especially as seasonal potato production began last November and the market had already been supplied with the necessary quantities.
In the course of this month, the campaigns carried out by the control services of the Ministry of Trade have had to deal with numerous monopolies and price manipulation practices, and 234 tons of potatoes were seized last November, out of a regular stock of 778 tons,” he revealed.
He went on to say that “the ministry’s departments have been responsible for the injection of this into the markets, noting that the retail price has been revised from TND 1.9 to the current TND 2.375. The Ministry of Trade relies on national potato production to supply the market, and all imports currently recorded are carried out by private individuals.”
Tightening controls on speculators and imposing maximum penalties on them is one of the Ministry’s top priorities, with the aim of dealing with major offenders, including decisions to close them down and prosecute them for offences punishable by imprisonment.
It is expected that the control work will continue in the coming period in order to preserve the purchasing power of citizens and restore the confidence of consumers and traders, he warned.
Sousse: More than 2 tons of potentially contaminated potatoes!
The judicial police brigade of Sousse has opened an investigation into a consignment of potatoes from Turkey suspected of being unfit for consumption.
The shipment, which weighs a staggering 2,758 tons, recently arrived at the commercial port of Sousse and was to be distributed in several regions of the country, including Sousse, Kairouan, Mahdia, El Jem and Tunis, to help alleviate food shortages and soaring prices.
The potatoes were imported by a private company with the aim of stabilizing the market and meeting the urgent needs of the population, which is facing a food crisis that is affecting staple foods in particular.
However, doubts soon arose about the quality of the consignment. According to some sources, the cargo was contaminated with bacteria that could be harmful to health.
Badreddine Gammoudi, a member of parliament, said that tests carried out on the cargo revealed the presence of two types of bacteria. He added that the shipment would probably be destroyed for health reasons.
This food scandal raises many questions about health controls and import regulation mechanisms in Tunisia, especially in times of crisis when the authorities need to ensure both product quality and availability.
