Approved investments in the agricultural sector fell by 15.8% in number and 25.4% in value at the end of August 2023. They amounted to 1696 investment operations worth TND 286 million against 2014 investment operations worth TND 383.2 million, during the same period of the previous year, according to the latest statistics published, Wednesday, by the Agency for the Promotion of Agricultural Investments (APIA).
Compared with the 2016-2020 development plan, private agricultural investment has fallen by 32.2% in number and 12.5% in value. These investments will create 1,794 permanent jobs, compared with 2,142 over the same period in 2022.
In terms of sectors of activity, approved investments in the fisheries sector rose by 16% to TND 39.3 million.
In addition, two investment operations worth TND 6.9 million related to tuna fishing were approved. For aquaculture, 4 investment operations were approved for a value of TND 2.9 million.
APIA also reported that the approved investments for young people amounted to 293 investment operations worth TND 29 million at the end of August 2023, including 170 operations worth TND 17.3 million for young women, compared to 161 operations worth 18.6 MD during the same period of the year 2022.
The approved investments benefited from subsidies amounting to TND 82.5 million, representing 28.9% of the approved investment volume, compared to TND 103.2 million in the same period in 2022. Subsidies for the purchase of agricultural equipment amounted to TND 32 million, representing 38.9% of the total approved subsidies.
According to the same source, the lending rate has fallen to 20%.
In addition, at the end of August 2023, the granting committees approved 26 land loans worth TND 4.4 million, compared to 34 loans worth TND 5.6 million in the same period of 2022. According to APIA, these loans will allow 286 hectares of land to be integrated into the economic cycle, compared with 359 hectares during the same period in 2022.
In terms of reported investments, APIA said 3,875 investment operations worth TND 873.6 million were reported, representing a decrease of 6.7% in number and an increase of 8.3% in value.
Compared to the 2016-2020 Development Plan, declarations decreased by 23.8% in number and 3.4% in value.
