GIEWS Country Brief: Tunisia – Food Security Update for March 2025
In March 2025, Tunisia’s food security is bolstered by improved cereal production following abundant rainfall, a favorable import forecast, and easing food inflation. Key highlights include nearly tripling cereal output in 2024 compared to 2023’s drought impact and a projected reduction in import requirements for 2025.
The GIEWS Country Brief for Tunisia, dated March 26, 2025, highlights key aspects of the food security situation. Significant rainfall in January improved the conditions for cereal crops for the year 2025. Recovery from the drought-affected 2023 has led to increased cereal crop production in 2024, and the forecast for cereal imports in 2025 is lower than average. Additionally, food inflation trends have shown a decrease in early 2025 after significant peaks in 2023.
Tunisia’s 2025 winter cereal cropping season commenced amidst dry weather in October and November 2024. However, abundant January rainfall enhanced soil moisture levels, particularly in the northern regions. Supported by financial investments from the National Bank aimed at expanding planted areas, favorable weather may lead to above-average crop yields if conditions remain stable through March and May 2025.
Estimates indicate that cereal production for 2024 reached approximately 1.5 million tonnes, nearly triple that of the drought-affected output of 2023. Despite earlier delays in planting due to adverse weather, improved conditions from December 2023 to April 2024 led to enhanced growth in central and northern regions, although the total production remains about 6 percent below the five-year average.
In the 2024/25 marketing year, Tunisia’s cereal import requirements are projected at a below-average 3.5 million tonnes. The forecast includes about 2 million tonnes of wheat, which accounts for over half of total cereal imports. This forecasted level is around 2 percent above the average due to substantial wheat production recorded in 2024.
Food inflation rates have significantly eased from the highs seen in 2023, reaching about 7 percent in February 2025, down from nearly 16 percent in May 2023. The reductions in inflation have been influenced by price increases in bovine meat, fish, and poultry, while there has also been a notable decline in oil prices by about 16.2 percent.
In conclusion, Tunisia’s food security landscape appears to be improving, driven by favorable weather conditions enhancing cereal crop production and lower cereal import requirements. The efforts by financial institutions to support agricultural expansion, combined with decreasing food inflation, suggest a positive outlook for the country’s food security situation in 2025.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
