USA allocates US$25M to boost date production in Tunisia amid drought challenges

TUNISIA – The United States has committed US$24.85 million in funding to support date production in Tunisia over the next five years.

The announcement, made by the U.S. Embassy in Tunis on November 4, is part of a broader effort under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food for Progress (FFPr) program.

The program aims to assist developing countries in modernizing and strengthening their agricultural sectors.

Tunisia, the fourth-largest producer of dates in Africa, is also the continent’s leading exporter. Dates are a vital agricultural product in the country, ranking as the second-largest source of agricultural export revenue, after olive oil.

Despite Tunisia’s position as a key global supplier, it has faced persistent challenges due to a prolonged drought that has affected agricultural production, including the date sector.

The US$24.85 million initiative will focus on boosting date production and enhancing traditional farming practices in Tunisia’s oasis regions, where date cultivation is most prevalent.

Specifically, the project will target water management improvements, the introduction of more efficient irrigation practices, and measures to increase labor productivity.

Additionally, the project aims to expand export opportunities, including enhancing access to the U.S. market.

The support comes at a critical time, as Tunisia’s agricultural sectors grapple with the effects of ongoing drought conditions, which have severely impacted crop yields.

Tunisia’s date industry, however, remains resilient, producing 340,000 tons of dates in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In the same year, the sector generated 794 million dinars (about US$256.5 million) in export revenue.

The country’s date plantations span more than 77,800 hectares, with the majority of production concentrated in the Kebili region.

The focus on enhancing Tunisia’s date production capabilities is seen as a key step in securing the country’s position on the global dried fruit market.

The U.S. funding will not only aim to address the immediate challenges posed by drought but also work to build sustainable practices in the long term, ensuring that Tunisia remains competitive in the international market.

Egypt bolsters exports to Morocco

In related news, Egypt, the world’s largest date producer, has recently set a record for date exports to Morocco, a major importer of dates.

Between October 2022 and September 2023, Egypt exported 32,000 tons of dates to Morocco—more than double the volume shipped during the previous marketing year. This surge has cemented Egypt’s position as Morocco’s second-largest supplier of dates, behind India.

Despite Morocco’s own substantial date production, the country remains a key market for Egyptian dates, with the product accounting for a significant portion of Morocco’s fruit and vegetable imports.

The rapid expansion of Egyptian date exports to Morocco highlights the growing importance of regional trade in the date sector.

Egypt’s success in capturing new markets and increasing its export volumes demonstrates the competitive dynamics in the global date trade, with North African countries playing a critical role in meeting global demand.