🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Agricultural product prices to gradually stabilize, says Samir Khalfaoui
via Business News2 hours ago3 min read
Samir Khalfaoui, Director of Economic Research at the Ministry of Commerce, discussed market disruptions, including rising prices for vegetables, fruits, and poultry, on National Radio on Thursday, April 16, 2026. He attributed these issues to a "spring structural trough period," a transitional phase in the agricultural cycle characterized by a temporary decrease in supply as seasonal production has not yet fully commenced. This period relies on early crops, which have higher production costs, directly impacting prices. This reduced supply, coupled with sustained demand, led to price increases for tomatoes and peppers. Extreme weather events in 2026, including floods, cold snaps, and sudden temperature drops, affected production zones, hindering crop growth, especially for early crops. This resulted in a notable decline in production compared to the same period in 2025. Khalfaoui reported a 12% drop in overall quantities supplied to wholesale markets, with an 8% decrease for vegetables, 23% for fruits, and 13% for fish products. The Ministry's services have intensified control and monitoring operations across the supply chain to curb speculative practices and prevent excessive price increases. Dysfunctional distribution channels also contribute to the problem, with a significant portion of agricultural products sold outside legal channels through unauthorized intermediaries, disrupting price formation and encouraging speculation. Regulations prohibit the sale of agricultural
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Original source
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Business News.
