According to the Minister of Agriculture, the date harvest this season reached about 223,000 tons compared to 198,800 tons last season, i.e. an 11% increase. The harvest is made up of almost 159,700 tons of Deglet Nour with a 12% growth compared to last year and 63,600 tons of other varieties, up 9% compared to last year. Prices are between 1.5-3.5 dt/kilo in Kébili and between 2-3.5dt/kilo in Tozeur.
Tunisian date exports were estimated up until the 9th January 2015 at almost 24,861 tons with an 18 million dinar value, compared to 24,330 tons evaluated at 98.3 million dinars in 2013, i.e. a 20% increase.
Grape production reached about 30,000 tons this year compared to 32,000 tons in 2013, an almost 6% decrease.
Pomegranate exports, since starting on the 18th September 2014, have reached 4,447 tons compared to 1,672 tons last season. National pomegranate production reached 78.5 thousand tons in 2013-2014 compared to 67 thousand tons the year before, i.e. a 17% increase. This production mainly comes from Gabès (30 million tons), both the country’s largest planted acreage and largest production area, making up 35% of national production per year.
Pomegranate farms in Gabès cover 3,000 ha, i.e. 1.3 million pomegranate plants.
The total national fruit production over 2013-2014 increased by 2% compared to the previous season, going from 654,000 tons to 669,000 tons, whilst summer fruit production reached 630,000 tons this season.
The total acreage of new planted fruit trees for 2014-2015 is estimated at about 7,100 ha.