The citrus fruit exportation season will start next January 16, as decided during the working session held, on Tuesday in Tunis, by the sector’s professionals.
The meeting, gathering Agriculture Minister Mohamed Ben Salem, Transport Minister Abdelkarim Harouni, Minister Delegate in charge of Trade Bechir Zaafouri and Secretary of State to Agriculture Minister Habib Jemli, stressed the need to increase exports of Tunisian citrus fruit, a very competitive product on the international markets.
The meeting decided to shorten the time limits of products loading and distribution, at the Rades port, from 10 days, at present, to 3 days.
The exportation operations of Maltese oranges are scheduled to begin by the end of this month to the Saudi market, according to an agreement concluded last December between a Saudi company specialized in citrus fruit importation and the Inter-professional Fruits Grouping (GIFruits).
The Maltese variety accounts for 94% of the total of Tunisian citrus fruit exports. For the 2011/2012 season, production is expected to reach 360,000 tons, compared with the previous season’s 352,000 tons, i.e. a 2% rise.
This increase is the result of the new yield of young citrus fruit trees.
