The trade balance of fishery products recorded a surplus of 207.9 million dinars (MD) in the first 10 months of 2018, against 195.8 million dinars during the same period last year.
The value of exports of fishery products reached 422.5 MD (20,945 tons), until the end of October, against 324.2 MD (15,889 tons), during the same period of 2017, i.e. an increase of 30.32%, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries.
The Ministry explained this growth by higher exports of brackish water aquaculture, octopus, crabs and canned tuna and shrimps.
Exports of crabs reached 2,612 tons in the last 10 months, compared to 505 tons in the same period of 2017, i.e. a growth of 417% with revenues of 17.5 MD.
The main markets importing crab from Tunisia are Thailand (1325.5 tons), Malaysia (390.6 tons), Vietnam (302.4 tons) and Italy (255.9 tons).
Besides, sea bream exports reached 3,088 tons until the end of October 2018 against 1,166 tons, during the same period of 2017, up 164.8% for a sum of 43.8 MD, against 15.2 MD, a year earlier.
Tunisia exports dorados to Jordan (1079.7 tons), the United Arab Emirates (704 tons), Saudi Arabia (592.2 tons) and Libya (522.8 tons).
Tunisia’s exports are directed to 47 destinations, with 10 countries receiving 91% of the total value of exports, notably Italy (35%) because of the increase in octopus and shrimps’ exports.
In terms of quantities, the main destinations are Italy (34.9%), Spain (19.1%), Malta (18.9%) and Libya (4.6%).
The average export price recorded a slight decrease (-1%), until the end of October.
Imports of fishery products reached 37,589 tons (214.7 million dinars), against 22,706.1 tons (128.4 million tons), during the same period of 2017
