Page 47 - FULL YEAR BOOK 2021

Syria & Tunisia

than in the previous campaign, and by about 52 percent compared to last Younes affirmed that the directorate
that this decrease is due to exceptional year. The total volume reached 128,660 seeks to provide instructions to farmers
circumstances in the coastal region in tons, while last year it stood at about 268 with the regard to the ways of caring
the period from May 15 to 20, when thousand tons. for the olive trees and the production
temperatures reached between 35 and 40 through agricultural guidance units,
degrees Celsius and were accompanied Tartous olive in addition to distributing drugs and
by northern and eastern winds. These spraying necessary pesticides for
temperatures were about 15 °C higher combating diseases in order to get high-
than the average and caused a lot of production expected to quality products of olive fruits and oil.
fruit to drop from the trees, especially The areas cultivated with olive trees
oranges and lemons. reach 92 thousand tons in the province amounted to 75,260
hectares and the total number of olive
trees reached 11,103 million, of which
The Agricultural Directorate in Tartous 10,552 million trees are fruitful.
has estimated the production of olive The production of olives in the previous
crops for the current season at about 92 season amounted to 103 thousand tons.
thousand tons.
Head of Tartous Agricultural
Directorate, Ali Younes said in statement
to SANA reporter that the current season
is good in comparison with the previous
year.
He called upon farmers to adhere to
the times and methods of harvesting
Hamdan reports that the Abu Surra olive fruits through the appropriate
orange has been the most affected methods to preserve the olive trees and
variety, as its production has decreased their fruits.

Tunisia

AGRICULTURE IN TUNISIA - GROWTH, TRENDS AND

FORECASTS (2020 - 2025)

Tunisian agriculture market is seg- which is supported by favorable of Tunisian agriculture. With an increase
mented by crop type into Food Crops government policies. Wheat and barley in the area under organic farmland and
/Cereals, Fruits, Vegetables, and Oil are the major cereal crops grown in the growing demand for regional organic
seeds/Non-food Crops. country. Olives, dates and fresh fruits are exports, the agriculture sector in Tunisia
the majorly exported with the European is expected to grow during the forecast
Union is one of the key trading partners period (2020-2025).
for the regional exports.
High Regional Trade of Olives
Growing Preference For
Tunisia is one of the major producers of
Organic Farming olives across the globe. olive cultivation
plays a major role in social and economic
In Tunisia, organic cultivation is gaining life of Tunisia as it accounts for nearly
prominence over the last few years. 15% of the total value of final agricultural
According to the Research Institute of production in the country. Although
Organic Agriculture (FiBL) statistics, Tunisia is a major olive producer, the
the area under organic cultivation has domestic consumption of olive oil
increased from 181.07 thousand hectares is relatively less and is replaced by
Market Overview 2016 to 286.62 thousand hectares in 2018. other vegetable oils. Olives are mostly
This trend is largely favored by active
export-oriented with the European
government policies promoting organic Union representing more than 50% of
Tunisia Agriculture Market is projected cultivation in the country. Since the regional exports. The implementation
to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% during domestic demand for organic products of olive growing policies to increase
the forecast period (2020-2025). The is less, majority of the production is olive plantations and improve the quality
agriculture sector is of vital importance exported. The majority of organic land in of olive oil will likely strengthen the
contributing to 10.37% of the total GDP Tunisia is dedicated for growing olives competitiveness of it among the major
of the country in 2018. In recent years, and dates. Four certification bodies exporting countries, thereby striving its
there is a growing importance for which include, IMC, LACON, ECOCERT market growth.
organic cultivation across the country and BCS are licensed under the Ministry
Arab Agriculture 2021 45

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