Tunis - A small Cabinet meeting, chaired on Saturday by Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri, approved a set of decisions within the framework of monitoring the grain harvest and collection season, as well as preparations for the 2026/2027 agricultural season.

It was decided during the meeting to maintain the same grain procurement prices as last season, and to finance the harvest with state guarantees, while intensifying the special programme for adjusting harvesting machines to include 1,300 combines, alongside field monitoring by all governorates and services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries to prevent fires.

It was also decided to strengthen storage capacities and allocate additional spaces for barley storage and to set up an evacuation (transport) programme according to estimated grain quantities to be collected, while reinforcing the role of the Tunisian National Railway Company in the grain system, in addition to tightening control over collection centres from the start of the season and following up on the upgrading of grain collectors’ collection centres.

It was further decided to approve grain analysis laboratories for the 2026 harvest through the supervision of 26 laboratories, and to take all preventive measures aimed at securing the harvest season and reducing fire risks, through the maintenance of harvesters and tractors, verifying their technical readiness and equipping them with firefighting equipment.

The small Cabinet meeting also decided, within the framework of preparations for the 2026/2027 agricultural season, to speed up the formation of fertiliser stocks to ensure coverage of all needs of the season and to maintain current prices of chemical fertilisers, in line with the state’s social role, enabling farmers to purchase inputs at affordable prices and thereby reducing production costs.

It was also decided to facilitate financing procedures for everything related to the 2026/2027 agricultural season, while ensuring the necessary energy for chemical fertiliser storage centres, their safety, and their fair distribution in the domestic market and allowing all stakeholders access to the “Engrais” information system developed as part of the digitalisation of the agricultural sector in all its components for a modern and sustainable agriculture.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister stressed the need for proper preparation of all upcoming agricultural deadlines, foremost among them the successful conduct of the grain harvesting, collection, and storage season under the best conditions, noting that the agricultural sector is a driver of economic growth and its development is a strategic priority of the state, ensuring food sovereignty as a fundamental pillar of national security.

This requires doubling efforts through the provision of local seeds and fertilisers across all regions of the country, she pointed out, while emphasizing the need for advance preparation and the adoption of all necessary measures to ensure the success of the harvest season.

She also called on all ministries, governorates and relevant stakeholders to ensure strong coordination, constant vigilance and intensified field monitoring and to properly implement intervention plans to prevent fire risks, through the preparation of precise preventive plans and the mobilisation of all human and logistical resources needed to protect crops and ensure the proper conduct of harvesting, collection, and storage operations.

She stressed the need to intensify efforts across all central, regional and local state structures and to maintain continuous communication with farmers to overcome all difficulties and ensure the smooth running of the 2026/2027 agricultural season.

Secretary of State in charge of Water, Hamadi Habaieb, presented an overview covering the various organisational, logistical, and technical aspects related to harvesting, collection and storage operations.

He indicated that distributed certified seeds in production areas were estimated at around 524,000 quintals, representing 30% of seed needs, describing this as an important strategic objective achieved for the first time, compared to around 265,000 quintals certified during the 2024/2025 season.

He also noted the increase in the use of certified seeds from new varieties developed through Tunisian expertise at the National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia, such as “INRAT 100,” “Qods,” and “Maktaris.”

Minister of Public Works and Housing and Acting Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Slah Zouari, also presented a report on measures taken to ensure the availability of chemical fertilisers in the required quantities in preparation for the 2026/2027 agricultural season, as well as technical plans and logistical arrangements to ensure the regular supply of markets with various types of fertilisers.

© Tap 2026 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).