Tunisian Minister Expects Grain Harvest Rising 64% to 1.8 million Metric Tons this Season
Tunisia's grain harvest to rise to 1.8 million metric tons this season, Agriculture Minister Ezzedine Ben Cheikh said on Wednesday, up more than 64% from last year's harvest, marking the country's strong season in five years after consecutive drought seasons.
The sharp increase is attributed to improved rainfall in key agricultural regions, Reuters reported.
"It is a good season with about 1.8 million metric tons,' Ben Cheikh said.
Last year's grain crop was around 1.1 million metric tons.
The country, which is suffering a deep financial crisis, was badly affected by the rise in global wheat prices and successive dry seasons.
The anticipated production growth will enable Tunisia to reduce its imports of grain.
Over the last decade, Tunisia has averaged about 1.5 million metric tons in annual grain harvests, while it has consumed around 3.4 million metric tons per year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
8 hours ago
- Arab News
Why healthy land is our greatest economic asset
The signs are becoming harder to ignore. Crops are failing more often. Wells are yielding less water. Dust settles where food once grew. In many parts of the world, the land is growing tired — less able to support the people who depend on it. And as the soil weakens, so too do the livelihoods, economies and communities built upon it. While land degradation is a global concern, its impact is especially pronounced in the Arab region. Stretching from North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, this part of the world is among the most vulnerable. Nearly 90 percent of land is already degraded and a combination of rising temperatures, water scarcity and stressed agricultural systems is placing an increasing strain on people and ecosystems alike. Here, land degradation is not just about the environment — it affects the fundamentals of daily life. It shapes whether families can grow enough to eat, whether young people envision a future at home and whether communities can remain self-reliant. In some areas, it has already contributed to displacement and tension over dwindling natural resources. While agriculture still employs 38 percent of the workforce across the Arab region, half of all calories consumed are imported. With droughts intensifying and arable land diminishing, pressure is mounting on food production and rural livelihoods across the region. Without meaningful investment in sustainable land use, the divide between those with access to fertile land and food and those without will only deepen. Still, this is not just a problem to solve; it is a chance to rethink how we value and manage land. Not as something to be used up, but as a foundation to be protected and solidified. We now know that land restoration delivers real returns. For every dollar invested, studies show a return of $7 to $30 in benefits. Globally, restoring 1 billion hectares of degraded land could generate up to $1.8 trillion in value annually. These are not distant ambitions — they are within reach. Healthy land is not just an environmental priority, but a cornerstone of long-term resilience and prosperity. Ibrahim Thiaw Yet the financing gap remains stark. To meet global restoration targets by 2030, investments to the tune of $1 billion dollars per day are needed. The private sector currently contributes 6 percent of total investment. Scaling up both public and private finance and redirecting harmful subsidies toward sustainable land use will be necessary to keep our economic models sustainable. Encouragingly, the Arab region is taking meaningful steps. The Arab Coordination Group has pledged $10 billion by 2030 to address land degradation and strengthen drought resilience. It is a significant move, but far more is needed. Globally, $7 trillion continues to support land-harmful subsidies and unsustainable practices, underlining the urgency of shifting resources toward land restoration. To shift direction, we need smarter tools for investment. One of these is the Sustainable Return on Investment — a way of measuring success that includes not only financial returns, but also climate stability, biodiversity, food security and human well-being. This approach can guide both public and private capital toward lasting impact. As we marked World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17, our message was clear: Healthy land is not just an environmental priority, but a cornerstone of long-term resilience and prosperity. Because when we restore land, we restore choices. We restore hope and dignity. And we rebuild the foundation of a more secure, equitable, and livable world for all. • Ibrahim Thiaw is under-secretary-general of the UN and executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Pesticides workshop held in AlUla
ALULA: A workshop, titled Safe Handling of Palm and Date Pest Pesticides, was held on Friday in the AlUla Governorate. The event, which was organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla, took place in the agricultural sector of the commission's headquarters. The workshop targeted farm owners, agricultural workers, and those interested in the sector. It aimed to raise awareness about safe pesticide use while enhancing efficiency in agricultural pest control in a way that improves production quality while ensuring environmental safety. The workshop was part of a series of different guidance programs and workshops implemented by the National Center for Palms and Dates throughout the year in many regions of the Kingdom. They bid to support the agricultural sector's development and enhance sustainability practices.
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Arab News
Libya objects to Greek tender for hydrocarbon exploration off Crete
TRIPOLI: Libya's internationally recognized government of national unity has objected to Greece's approval of an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration off the island of Crete, saying some of the blocks infringed upon its own maritime zones. The two countries have been trying to mend relations strained by an accord signed in 2019 between the Libyan government and Greece's regional rival Turkiye, which mapped out a sea area between them close to the Greek island. Greece opposed the agreement, saying it had no legal basis as it sought to create an exclusive economic zone from Turkiye's southern Mediterranean shore to Libya's northeast coast, ignoring the presence of Crete. Last month Athens invited bidders for hydrocarbon exploration in two blocks south of Crete following an expression of interest by US major Chevron. Libya's Tripoli-based foreign ministry said in a statement late on Thursday that some of the tendered sea blocks off Crete fell within disputed zones and were 'a clear violation of Libya's sovereign rights.' The ministry objected 'to any exploration or drilling activities in these areas without a prior legal understanding that respects the rules of international law,' it said, calling on Greek authorities to prioritize dialogue and negotiation. Responding to questions at the Greek parliament, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said Greece was willing to discuss with Libya 'the delimitation of maritime zones within the framework of international law.' Gerapetritis is expected to visit Libya in the coming weeks, an official with the Greek foreign ministry told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
