Tunisia's Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, chaired a meeting to discuss preparations for the date season. The meeting was attended by various stakeholders, including the Governor of Kebili, the President of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries, and representatives from relevant ministries and professional organizations. The focus was on developing a comprehensive plan to promote dates and support the sector's various components.
Minister Abid emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that covers all aspects of the date production chain, from production to storage and marketing, both domestically and internationally. This approach aims to enhance the product's value, improve its competitiveness in foreign markets, and support small farmers, who are a crucial part of the sector. The Governor of Kebili highlighted the importance of coordinating efforts and adopting medium-term and strategic solutions to boost the sector's value creation.
The meeting addressed various concerns, including transportation and storage costs, labor costs, and the organization of intermediaries between farmers and consumers. Participants also discussed encouraging investment in refrigeration facilities, reference prices, and the impact of climate change. Additionally, they touched on increasing seasonal loan values for harvesting and storage, plastic bag suitability for each season, and enhancing human resources for the Joint Professional Date Association and the Date Technical Center.
The meeting confirmed the availability of necessary funding for various date sector components, particularly for small farmers, to support their capabilities and product promotion. Minister Abid announced that the ministry is working on a special promotional plan for dates, similar to that for olive oil, in consultation with relevant parties. The plan aims to adopt a new marketing and promotion approach, targeting enhanced presence in international markets, diversified export destinations, and focused promotion based on market specifics and international demand.
The plan will emphasize promoting dates as a healthy product, replacing current promotional methods. The role of foreign trade representations in promoting dates and exploring new export opportunities was also highlighted. Furthermore, the meeting discussed expanding date valorization by supporting derivatives and related industries, contributing to product diversification, increased added value, and new export opportunities.
The date sector is considered an integral economic system with productive, commercial, export, and social dimensions, representing part of the region's specificity and traditions. Therefore, it is essential to maintain its dynamism and develop its value creation capacity. The meeting concluded with Minister Abid emphasizing the need to transition from seasonal promotion to a sustainable approach to marketing Tunisian dates, focusing on anticipating market needs and enhancing the product's presence in international markets.
The goal is to encourage domestic consumption throughout the year by establishing sales points from producer to consumer and generalizing them across all governorates. This comprehensive plan aims to support the date sector, enhance its competitiveness, and increase its export presence. Key stakeholders will continue to work together to ensure the successful implementation of this plan.
Key points
- The plan focuses on promoting dates as a healthy product and adopting a new marketing approach.
- The meeting addressed concerns such as transportation and storage costs, labor costs, and climate change impacts.
- The goal is to enhance the sector's value creation and increase its export presence.
