The deficit of the food trade balance decreased by 41.5% in the first four months of 2023 compared to the same period of 2022, to 240.7 million dinars (MD), the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI) said Wednesday.
The recorded decrease in the deficit is mainly due to the increase in exports of 4.2%, including olive oil (+18.9%), against a decrease in imports of 3%, following the decrease in grain import (-13.4%), and this despite the increased pace of imports of maize (+51.8%) and sugar (+65.3%).
ONAGRI data also show an increase in the average export price of olive oil (+49%), tomatoes (+43.9%), dates (+2.2%) and citrus fruits (+1.8%) compared to the same period of the previous year.
On the other hand, the price of peaches fell by 6.8%, while import prices of grain dropped fell by 20.2% for durum wheat, 10.5% for barley and 7.4% for common wheat, compared to an increase of 1.9% for maize, and prices of vegetable oils fell by 3%, compared to increases of 18.1% and 12.1% for sugar and milk and derivatives respectively.
