🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunisian inflation rises to 5.5% in April 2026, driven by food prices
via Business News7 min read
Tunisia's inflation rate increased to 5.5% in April 2026, up from 5% in March, marking a return to an upward trend after a period of relative slowdown. Economist and University of Tunis professor Moez Soussi stated on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, that this reflects deeper structural imbalances related to production, supply, and economic policy effectiveness. The National Institute of Statistics INS reported that food prices, which account for 26.2% of household budgets, saw an 8.2% annual increase in April 2026, compared to 6.8% in March. Specific food items experienced significant price hikes, including fresh fruits +19.2%, poultry +16.1%, lamb +16.1%, fresh vegetables +13.5%, beef +12%, and fresh fish +11.9%. Soussi emphasized that the core issue is production, citing a growing imbalance between supply and demand, particularly in the agricultural and food sectors, and a decline in the sector's attractiveness. He noted that recent salary increases, typically 4% to 6%, are quickly absorbed by rising prices, which have already climbed 2.1% between January and April 2026. Soussi also highlighted the increasing cost of private tutoring, which has become a significant expense for Tunisian households, with education costs rising 5.5% annually. Underlying inflation, excluding food and energy, reached 4.8% in April 2026, indicating widespread price increases. Soussi called for a more proactive and bold economic approach, suggesting that controlling inflation requires boosting production,
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Tunisia's National Institute of Statistics INS reported on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, that the inflation rate increased to 5.5% in April 2026. This marks a rise from 5% in March and February 2026, and 4.8% in January 2026. Historically, the rate was 5.2% in August 2025, 5.9% in March 2025, 5.7% in February 2025, 6% in January 2025, and peaked at 7% in July 2024. The annual increase in inflation is primarily attributed to the accelerated growth in food prices, which rose by 8.2% in April 2026 compared to 6.8% in March 2026, and clothing and footwear prices, up 9.3% from 7.5% in March 2026. Conversely, the rate of increase for transport services slowed to 2.2% in April 2026 from 2.8% in March 2026. Over a twelve-month period, food products saw significant price hikes, including fresh fruit +19.2%, poultry +16.1%, lamb +16.1%, fresh vegetables +13.5%, beef +12%, and fresh fish +11.9%. In contrast, edible oils decreased by 6.8% and eggs by 4.4%. Manufactured goods increased by 4.7%, driven by clothing and footwear 9.3% and household maintenance products 4.8%. Services saw a 4.2% increase, largely due to a 14.6% rise in accommodation services. Month-over-month, the consumer price index rose by 1.1% in April 2026, mainly due to a 1.4% increase in food prices and a 5.9% increase in clothing and footwear prices. Within the food group, fresh vegetables rose by 5.6%, lamb by 3.5%, and fresh fruit by 2.5%, while egg prices fell by 4.5%. Clothing prices increased by 5.9% following the end of
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