Citrus fruit, a clear decline in Tunisia harvest expected

The citrus harvest in Tunisia is expected to reach 290,000 tons in the 2022/2023 season. This is what the National Agriculture Observatory (Onagri) indicates. The figure would show a drop of 16% compared to the stock of 345,300 tons recorded during the previous campaign. According to the public body, these prospects are mainly explained by the climatic conditions characterized by dry climates that prevailed during the periods of flowering and setting (initial formation of the fruit) of the citrus fruits and by the increase in temperatures observed in the months of May and last June. In addition, there has been a reduction in the areas under cultivation due to the increased uprooting rate of aged trees in recent years and the lack of water in production areas such as Menzel Bouzelfa and Beni Khalled due to drought. In detail, according to the same source, the production of oranges will decrease by 30.6%, while that of clementines by 15%. Meanwhile, the volume of mandarins is ...