(TAP) – Tunisia’s fruit export saw an increase in value by nearly 50% to 73.1 million dinars (MD) until August 4, 2021, from 49 million dinars, during the same period of the previous year according to data provided by the Inter-Professional Fruit Gouping (GIFruits).
Quantities exported grew 75% to 30,617 tonnes from 17,535 tonnes, the same source added.
Tunisia aims to export 80,000 tonnes of fruits throughout the year.
In terms of fruit types, watermelon output accounted for about 41% of the oerall summer crop exported, followed by stone fruits 53.4%.
The Libyan market is the first destination attracting over 77% of the total exports. The quantities exported to this market reached 23,635 tonnes until August 4, 2021, against 9,731 tonnes during the same period of the previous year, up 143%.
GIFruits’ Sales Chief Tarek Tira told TAP that exports to the Libyan market have been suspended since mid-July following the closure of land borders to limit the spread of the Coronavirus.
As far European markets are concerned, the quantities of fruit exported to Italy amounted to 3,686 tonnes, accounting for 12% of the total exports against 4,034 tonnes in 2020 during the same period.
This slight decrease included particularly watermelons as the quantities exported throughout the year reached 3,290 tonnes against 3,605 tonnes in 2020, the same source said, adding that watermelons represented almost 90% of the total fruit exports destined to the Italian market.
On the other hand, The French market reported a noticeable decrease by 56%, recording about 500 tonnes during this season, against 1,139 tonnes during the previous year.
According to Tara, this decrease is caused to the contraction of the export of watermelons, due to a fierce competition in terms of selling prices offered by producing countries.
Other European markets attracted 337 tonnes of fruit, consisting mainly of watermelons (202 tonnes), peaches and nectarines. (91 tonnes).
Exports of Summer fruits to Gulf markets accounted to 1,946 tonnes until August 4, 2021, against 1,418 tonnes in 2020, up 37%. This improvement mainly covered the Emirati market with 156% as well as the Kuwaiti’s with 56%.
Source : TAP
