馃嚬馃嚦TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunisia's central bank authorizes credit rescheduling for drought-affected farmers
via Business News3 min read
The Central Bank of Tunisia BCT has authorized banks to reschedule loans for farmers impacted by severe drought during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 agricultural seasons. This measure follows the official recognition of the drought as a natural disaster in several regions, including Siliana, Le Kef, and Kasserine, as published in the Official Gazette on May 8, 2026. The BCT's note, issued on June 2, 2026, outlines the operational framework for banks to restructure debts for affected farmers, particularly those who received seasonal credits for major crops and suffered significant damage due to rainfall deficits. The drought caused substantial losses, with some areas experiencing up to 100% damage to sown areas. Farmers must present a certificate from the Regional Agricultural Development Commission CRDA detailing the damage. Loans can be restructured for up to seven years, with individual assessments based on repayment capacity and recorded losses. The scheme covers seasonal credits for major crops from the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, certain related investment credits, and some debts from the 2023-2024 campaign. However, farms in irrigated areas are not included. Applications must be submitted to banks by July 15, 2026. The initiative involves the National Guarantee Fund to cover part of the rescheduling costs, while banks will bear risks for certain agricultural credits not covered by the fund. This aims to mitigate the drought's impact on bank portfolios and prevent a broader d
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