Tunisia struggles to market citrus harvest

The 2019/2020 Tunisian citrus harvest is facing difficulties in terms of domestic marketing, like dates, apples and pomegranates, due to the lack of visibility in the purchase of citrus crops on foot. The inability of large producers and traders to purchase citrus in large quantities would lead to falling prices and financial hardship for farmers. The president of the Regional Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (URAP) in Nabeul, Imad el Bey underlined several difficulties in the sector, in particular local marketing and exports. In a statement to TAP, he highlighted the drop in purchases of standing citrus fruits, with the usual sale of 80% of the crop, until this time of year, compared to 20% of production during this agricultural season. . El Bey explained this reluctance to buy citrus fruits by the anticipation of buyers on the evolution of the epidemiological situation and its impact on the export operation. He drew attention to the existence of several diseases which affected ...