Importing Egyptian tomatoes into Tunisia was not just a step to cover a shortage in the market, but rather it turned into a topic of widespread debate about the quality of agricultural products and the ability of local production to meet the needs of consumers. While criticism was directed at imported tomatoes, the crisis raised deeper questions about the difficulties faced by Tunisian farmers, from climate change to high production costs and limited resources.
Tomato producers in Tunisia face a difficult season due to the intersection of climatic, human and economic factors. Tunisian agricultural investor Salim Al-Blidi explained in his interview with DW that temperatures reaching about 50 degrees Celsius during the month of July affected crops and production conditions.
The difficulties did not stop with the high temperature, as the power outage contributed to disrupting the operation of deep well pumps, which hindered the extraction of water needed to irrigate agricultural lands. Then the September rains came at an inappropriate time, causing diseases and additional damage to the crop.
According to Al-Blaidi, some farmers did not plant tomatoes this season due to poor economic returns, after growing them became unprofitable in light of the high costs and production risks. This is in addition to the decline in cultivated areas and the lack of funds, factors that were also pointed out by Anis Al-Kharbash, an expert in agricultural policies, and Vice President of the Joint Professional Association for Greens, in his statements to Tunisian National Radio.
In the face of a decline in local production, Tunisia turned to importing Egyptian tomatoes to meet the market’s needs. The Vice President of the Greens Professional Association, Anis Al-Kharbash, explained in his speech on the Tunisian national radio that imports represent about 15 to 20 percent of the country’s needs, and that they come within the framework of the trade exchange movement between North African countries, where a country facing a shortage in a particular product can use another country’s surplus.
For his part, Salim Al-Blaidi points out that Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco depend to varying degrees on importing vegetable growing requirements, including seeds and seedlings. This reflects a trade interdependence that goes beyond finished products to also include agricultural production inputs.
Land trade movement, including routes crossing Libya, facilitates the arrival of Egyptian shipments to Tunisia. Egypt benefits from a large agricultural production base, which has made it one of the most prominent countries exporting agricultural products. But importing in this case does not necessarily mean a decline in the importance of local production, as much as it reflects an attempt to cover a temporary gap in supply.
Egypt is one of the countries that produce and export tomatoes, but its position in export differs from its advanced ranking in production. According to published data on the movement of Egyptian exports during the year 2026, fresh tomato exports amounted to about 20 thousand tons as of July 11, while the total Egyptian agricultural exports exceeded 5.8 million tons during the same period. These numbers come in the context of Egypt's expansion into agricultural export markets.
