Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Abdelmonem Belati, inaugurated the harvest of a pilot field planted with six varieties of irrigated durum wheat at Sahl Roumen, Dhehiba delegation, Tataouine governorate.
The Minister took note of this experiment and ordered its extension over the coming season, as well as ensuring that all the necessary requirements are met to ensure better agricultural production (agricultural equipment, seeds, fertilisers, etc.).
During a working visit to the governorate of Tataouine, Belati also enquired about an agricultural project involving the planting of over 420,000 ‘Arbequina’ olive trees in Kehil, Remada delegation.
The project is carried out on an area of 100 hectares, with investments exceeding 4 million dinars. It is slated for expansion to cover an additional 214 hectares, according to a Ministry statement.
The minister lauded the efforts invested in these projects, highlighting their potential to bolster the country’s production capacity in irrigated grain and olive oil cultivated in desert regions.
He noted that production could reach one million tonnes of olive oil, compared to 419,000 tonnes in 2019.
He also pointed out that 60% of this year’s olive oil production originates from irrigated areas, which constitute only 7% of the total olive-growing land in Tunisia.
