FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 09/01 - TUNISIA (4 September)
Harvesting of the 2001 winter crops has been completed and wheat and barley outputs are estimated at about 900 000 tonnes and 350 000 tonnes, respectively. Aggregate production is about 15 percent above last year’s level, when the crops suffered from inadequate rainfall. However, production is still well below the average of the past five years, due to two consecutive years of drought conditions which affected particularly the centre and south of the country.
Wheat imports in marketing year 2001/02 (July/June) are expected to be close to the previous year’s 1 million tonnes. Barley imports are forecast to decline from 300 000 tonnes to some 250 000 tonnes, while a small increase is anticipated in maize imports.