December 11, 2012

Following an above-average cereal harvest this year, Tunisia's grain imports are forecast to decline 1.9% in the 2012-13 season.

Imports may drop to 2.61 million tonnes from 2.66 million tonnes in 2011-12 and 3.33 million tonnes in 2010-11, the United Nations' Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) wrote in a country report on its website Monday (Dec 10).

Tunisia is structurally a grain buyer, tapping world markets even in good harvest years, according to the FAO. The country's output varies from year to year depending on rainfall variations, with winter grains harvested in May and June.

"The new crop year started with above normal rainfall in September and October," the UN agency wrote. "Above-average rainfall contributed to a recovery of water reserves, improved topsoil moisture and encouraged early winter grain planting."

The country's 2012 wheat harvest rose 11% to 1.78 million tonnes, while the barley crop advanced 17% to 800,000 tonnes, the FAO estimates.

Government subsidies on basic food items are keeping domestic prices in check, with on-year inflation of bread and cereals at 3% in November, the FAO wrote. Total food inflation reached 7.8%, driven by a jump of more than 10% in meat and vegetable prices, it said.