TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia raised the purchase price of durum wheat from local farmers, the agriculture minister Abdelmonem Belati said on Friday, amid expectations of a disastrous grain season due to severe drought.
The purchase price of durum wheat will increase from 130 dinars to 140 dinars ($45.95) per 100 kg.
Tunisia’s grain harvest will be “disastrous”, with the drought-hit crop declining to 200,000-250,000 tonnes this year from 750,000 tonnes last year, senior farmers union official Mohamed Rjaibia has said.
The expected decline in the grain crop would deepen Tunisia’s financial difficulties as it tries to agree an international rescue package.
($1 = 3.0465 Tunisian dinars)
(Reporting by Tarek Amara, Editing by Louise Heavens)