National olive oil production would reach 220,000 tonnes (Agriculture Minister)

National olive oil production would reach 220,000 tonnes in the 2023-2024 season, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries Abdelmonem Belati said Tuesday, adding that export revenues would increase the country's foreign exchange reserves. Belati, who was speaking at a plenary session held at the Bardo Palace to examine a draft law on the organisation of international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora, stressed the importance of completing the olive harvest within the deadline set by the Ministry of Agriculture. He said that scientific research had shown that exceeding these deadlines would have a negative impact on the next season's harvest. With regard to grain, the Minister ruled out the existence of any problems in the supply of ammonium nitrate or phosphate dioxide (DAP), pointing out that the Ministry of Agriculture had provided the necessary quantities of seeds during the last season. In this context, he pointed out that the Ministry was currently experimenting with g rain cultivation in the south of Tunisia, and that the results were "very promising." The experiment would be extended throughout the Republic, he added. Belati said Tunisia currently has almost 970,000 hectares of grain land, of which 590 hectares are sown with durum wheat, with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in durum wheat by 2024. Abdelmonem Belati also addressed the issue of seeds, pointing out that the Ministry of Agriculture is working to multiply 100% Tunisian seeds adapted to climate change and to promote vertical farming, which uses less water than conventional farming. He reviewed the Ministry's crop-related proposals to farmers, which aim to rationalise water consumption and improve yields. The Ministry of Agriculture is planning to carry out experiments at the Office des terres domaniales so that every farmer can learn about them and reproduce them. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse