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» THE SECTOR OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN THE SFAX (25.10.2010)

The sector of organic agriculture in the region of Sfax

Data on organic agriculture in Tunisia:

In Tunisia the organic agriculture is relatively recent .Its development has been driven by strong growth in international demand particularly of the olive oil. The Tunisian government has paid special attention to the development of organic agriculture and the organization of the sector . This is particularly the enactment of Law No.30 of 5 April 1999 which marked the official birth of organic agriculture in Tunisia.

Organic Crop Areas:

Distribution of land by growing from 2001 to 2008:The olives occupy the first place for the area of organic crops

The total areas used in Bio and identified in 2008 cover 285,400 hectares (8.9% compared to 2007). Since 2001 these areas have experienced a very high annual growth rate, equivalent to 50.2%. It reflects on the one hand the combined effect of market opportunities to export, and on the other hand the nature of farming practices, entire regions that are "readily convertible".

In 2008, the areas devoted to organic farming cover 130,000 hectares (ha). They include olive groves with 115,000 hectares or 40% of the total organic area, fruit trees with 6000 ha (2%), big cultivation with 2,000 (0.7%) and 1,000 ha (0.4%) for palm, knowing that 155,000 hectares were devoted to pastures and forests. These evidential figures, according to the Minister, accredit the importance of organic farming in the state policy at both the area and commodity production and exports at the level of mechanisms and programs taking place .

Regional distribution of exports:

Regardless of the specific regional crop , there are on average a farmer in Tunisia for almost 168 acres operated bio. This average is relative of course if we look at comparisons between governorates

In 2008, 1700 farmers of biological food industry in Tunisia about 55%are implemented at the centre of the country.

The areas used to a large extent reflect the distinctive cultural and regional climate.

As larger areas are used in bio located in Sfax 56%of the areas used in organic olive groves , almond trees ,fruit trees) Tozeur (dates),Sousse ( cereals), Sidi bouzid (herbs and vegetables .)

The governorates of Sidi Bouzid and Siliana and assemble the overwhelming majority of crops of aromatic plants with respectively 94% and 4.9%. These crops are discreetly present in five other governorates. The governorate of Mahdia alone hold more than 37% of the total population of farmers.

Evolution of quantities of organic production 2002-2008

Over the past eight years, all organic food products have registered spectacular increases. Several reasons may explain these increases:

The agreement of olive farms is both less complex and less long than other crops.
The existence of interesting opportunities to operate in particular to Germany, France, Spain, the United States and South Asia.
The increase in the number of operators, from less than 250 in 2000 to 1700 in 2008 despite the downturn of 2005.
The entry into production of new exploited areas in bio operated from 2004 for dates and other various products and from 2005 for the olive grove.

However, other organic products (cereals, WFP, fruits ...) had a significant decline in production between 2007 and 2008, due in particular to a rather acute climatic hazards ,known during the companions of these two years.

Similarly, fruit farming and market gardening are experiencing some technical and commercial difficulties and business that may lead to a number of operators not to renew their experience of bio. This fluctuation usually affects more strongly the market gardening (annual crops) and tree crops (permanent plantations). Thus a decrease was registered in 2007 after the "euphoria" of the previous year.

Other operators (processors and exporters)

In 2001, the number of operators( processing packaging and export together) was only 19 .It reached 92 in 2008 .

They occupy six main activities in the organic farming sector.

Nearly 59% of the operators are those who occupy the oil mills and processing - packaging dates .These are units that have developed the packaging for the needs of their customers. With exporters , there are more than ¾ of all operators .

These operators are divided north and south of the country fairly evenly, but with marked concentrations in the governorates of Sfax, Mahdia Nabeul Zaghouan Manouba Tozeur and 45 operators who collect 67% of Transformers - conditioners.

For some years, the distillation and the drying of PAM, begin to attract new operators. Other few units operate in vegetables and honey. As for the exporters, they are settled in Tunis ( 9 ), Sousse ( 5 ) and Sfax ( 4 ), that is 18 of them, on a total of 25.

The exports of organic products:

Evolution in the Value of the exports of Agro Bio products (in MTND)

Strong increase in the exported quantities mainly to olive oil reached 72.s%of total exports in 2008 against 33.1%in 2002. The organic olive oil exported only a little over 6% of olive growing exports .

In 2008, the main markets of the Tunisian exports are:

Organic Dates: 67,4 % for Germany, 11 % in the United States and 7 % in Morocco,
The organic olive oil: 39 % for Italy, 35,5 % in France and 13 % in the USA.

Export of biological dates (2008):

The exported organic dates represented less than 4% of dates’ exports, absorbed mostly by the European market.

As far as the packaged products is concerned, the total exports remain very low and even declining for the organic olive oil, a little over 207 tons in 2008, or 39% less than in 2007 with 343 tons.

Bulk Exports deprive Tunisia of a large part of the gains added-value realized in some markets. Despite of the small quantities distributed in those markets, such as Russia, Denmark and Belgium, Some of them would be interesting landmarks to be closely considered.

As for the exports of the various products (fruits, vegetables, PAM), they represent 6 % of the organic exports. The exported quantities however continue climbing from 3 tons during the period 2001 - 2002 to 654 tons during the period 2007 - 2008. These products witnessed irregular courses which are explained by the difficulties of proposing a continuous and stable offer at the time.

An encouraging Environment:

The encouragement of the sector on the national scale: a series of incentives and supports:

Special attention is given to organic farming because it enables important perspectives in terms of output, employment and exports. The state offered a special care to this sector through a comprehensive legal framework that controls the means and conditions of their practice and the location and administrative restructuring to ensure proper functioning of this sector.

A series of incentives and supports has been implemented in order to promote the sector while taking into account its specificity:

A 30% subsidy on equipment, tools and resources specific to organic production (Decree No. 99-2027 of September 13, 1999).
A subsidy of 70% on the control and the certification cost of 5,000 dinars for five years in favour of organic operators (Decree No. 99-2361 of October 27, 1999)
Special issue, the Head of State has decided to include organic agriculture as a permanent item on the agenda of the Council of Ministers on January 22, 2010. Thus, he declared new measures, which are aimed at developing the organic crops, improving the productivity and adapting their products to the international ratios.
The increase of the annual maximum granted on the control and certification for the producers members of development, cooperative and professional groups from 5000 to 10,000 dinars per year.
For the promotion of organic products, the celebration of “the Week of the Tunisian organic products” which will be held every year.
Organization of promotional campaigns inside and outside, supporting participation in international fairs and the organization of partnership meetings to prop up the Tunisian organic products.
Elaboration of a study for the establishment of a strategy to promote organic products in domestic and target abroad markets.
setting up a development program for the exploitation of organic products in the tourism sector
Creation of a National Commission for programming, evaluating and monitoring the research related to organic farming.
Enlargement of the network experience of school fields in the main areas of production.
Development of a Regional Centre for Research in gardening and organic agriculture and the creation of a national laboratory for research in organic agriculture.
Creation of units responsible for organic products within the professional associations of fruits, vegetables, red meat and dairy products.

Investment in organic farming in Tunisia:

In 2008, the overall amount of investments (integrated projects: the first production + processing) in organic farming in Tunisia reached 66.596 million TND.

Investments in organic food increased 10 times over seven years, from 6.5 million TND in 2002 to 66, 600,000 TND in 2008.

The investment opportunities are driven by external demand, oil and herbs together 73.5% of the overall investment throughout the period.

Recently, some other activities have attracted, however, smaller number of investors especially for crops and vegetables to a lesser degree of Arboriculture.

PRODUCTS AND EXPORTS OF MAJOR ORGANIC PRODUCTS INTHE REGION OF SFAX

The organic crop by area

Distribution of crop by areas in 2006: The olives rank first in terms of the organic crops area in Sfax

In comparison with the main data of the organic sector at the national level, 34% of the total organic production and areas is located in the region of Sfax.

It is the first region in olives production with 55.5% of the total production of organic olives in Tunisia. Sfax ranks first also in almonds (40%) and fruit trees (63%).

Large areas used for organic farming are located in Sfax: 56% of the cropped areas are in organic olive groves, almond trees, fruit trees.

In sfax, the organic food counts 109 farmers representing 13% of the farmers in Tunisia.

Other operators (processors and exporters) 37% of organic operators are located in Sfax

In Sfax, There are 34 operators of organic agriculture (production, processing, marketing) from whom 94% do the production, processing and marketing of olive oil, 53% are farmers of tree crops, and only one for production, processing and marketing whatsoever for vegetables, cactus and field crops, or compost (some of them are engaged in several activities at once).

Encouraging Environment

The geographical distribution of investment shows that the Governorate of Sfax represents only 8.5% of the total organic farming investments registered over seven years.

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