Date farmers in Tunisia face climatic and marketing challenges during the 2026-2027 season, with the Ministry of Agriculture estimating production at approximately 354,000 tons, a 12.4 percent decrease from last season's 404,000 tons. Farmers fear crop spoilage due to the lack of marketing support and reduced export quotas to Morocco, the largest destination for Tunisian dates.
In this context, ministry representatives indicated that production is distributed between 300,000 tons of the "Deglet Nour" variety and 54,200 tons of "Maktoum" varieties, with a reference price set at 5.2 dinars per kilogram. However, farmers argue that this price is theoretical and does not reflect reality, noting that requiring high technical specifications makes its application impossible for the entire crop.
For his part, farmer Omar Ben Ali criticized the absence of marketing support, emphasizing that the major dilemma lies in marketing, as the percentage of purchases by traders did not exceed 1 percent compared to 30 percent in previous years. He clarified that this reluctance threatens the crop while still on the palms, amid farmers' concerns over Morocco's delay in determining import quotas.
Hamad Hamadi added that prices are influenced by the principle of supply and demand, noting that Tunisia's exports to Morocco reached 26,000 tons last season despite restrictions. Date palm farms cover approximately 61,000 hectares in four southern governorates and include about 8 million palm trees, representing the backbone of national production.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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