HomeNewsTunisia: food balance shows deficit of 617.3 MTD

Tunisia: food balance shows deficit of 617.3 MTD

The food products export/import coverage ratio has decreased to 74.5% during the first eight months of the current year, against 112.9% in the same period 2015.

Thus, the food trade balance posted a deficit of 617.3 million Tunisian dinars (MTD), i.e. 7.5% of the total deficit of the trade balance, against a surplus of 322.1 MTD in the first eight months 2015.

According to a statement released Monday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, this decline is due to the fall in exports by 36.2% (approximately 1,799.7 MTD, against 2,818.9 MTD) against a slight drop in imports by 3.2% (2,417 MTD in August 2016).

Regarding exports, the decline was due mainly to lower olive oil revenues down 66% (542 MTD against 1,596 MD), against rising revenues for most other food products, namely fresh seafood products (4%), canned vegetables and fruits (12%), fresh vegetables (35%).

However, date revenues have remained unchanged compared to last year, despite a 10% rise in quantities exported, and that due to lower export prices by 8% (4.1 dinars / kg against 4.5 dinars / kg in the same period of 2015).

The value of food exports from January to August 2016 accounted for 9.7% of the country’s overall goods’ exports, against 15.4% in 2015.

In terms of food imports, the decline is explained by the deceleration in imports of some commodities like sugar (25%), meat (78%), vegetable oils (5%) and durum wheat (23%).

However, a rise in imports of other food products was recorded. These include barley (21%), yellow maize (9%) and potatoes (31%).

The value of food imports stood at 9% of the country’s overall imports in August 2016, against 3.9% in 2015.

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