The food trade balance deficit widened 79.7% in Q1 of 2023 to TND 110.7 million against TND 61.6 million in the same period last year, data published Saturday by the National Observatory of Agriculture (French: Onagri) show. As a result, the coverage rate stood at 94.4% compared to 96.6% in late March 2022.
//Grain and sugar imports post upward trend//
The deficit deterioration is mainly driven by a faster growth in the imports of grain (+9.2%) and sugar (+73.1%), despite higher olive oil exports (+21.5%).
The value of food exports grew 7% on Q1 of 2022 to reach TND 1,857.5 million. Likewise, the value of imports rose 9.5% to TND 1, 968.2 million.
Export prices edged up 51.3% for tomatoes, 4.4% for citrus fruits and 3.7% for dates compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, export prices of olive oil and fisheries dropped 19.3% and 7.6%, respectively.
Import prices for durum wheat edged down 18.7% compared to Q1 of 2022. Nevertheless, the prices of soft wheat, barley and maize increased 1% to 8%.
The same goes for the prices of sugar (+20.1%), milk and by-products (+18.0%) and vegetable oils (+1.7%).
The country’s overall trade balance deficit declined 12% at the end of March to TND 3, 846.2 million.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse