Tunisia Online News » Tunisian Food industry posts steady growth

Tunisia Online News » Tunisian Food industry posts steady growth: "Tunisian Food industry posts steady growth

TUNISIAONLINENEWS- Food production in Tunisia has recorded a rise of more than 40% since 2004 and the added-value rate has been stable during the past five years, with a 27% production rate till 2009.

Some 1,000 companies averaging 10 and more employments operate in the sector; more than 150 companies (23%) are totally exporting are providing 63,000 jobs.

The European Union remains Tunisia’s top destination market with Italy in leading place(42% of exports), followed by Spain (14%) and France (13%).

Among Tunisian agro-food products that attract international customers are olive oil, Deglet Ennour-variety dates and the Maltese- variety of oranges.

Production of olives reached an annual average of 850,000 tons, while that of olive oil reached 165,000 tons, accounting nearly for 47% of food exports.

The average annual production of citrus fruits reached 240,000 tons of Maltese oranges, which exports account for more than 99% of the exports especially to Europe.

Production of dates has reached, in turn, an annual average of 145,000 tons including 7000 tons are exported.

Agro-food enterprises are increasingly being modernized thanks to the integration of biotechnology applications in their production systems."