Gafsa date harvest forecast falls by 6 percent amid agricultural expansion
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The regional commission for agricultural development in Gafsa, Tunisia, expects a date harvest of 14,700 tonnes this season. This figure represents a 6 percent decrease compared to the previous year as the Deglet nour harvest began in mid October.
The regional commission is managing 46 public projects worth over 51 million dinars to support the region. Authorities approved 216 agricultural projects in 2026 with 17.4 million dinars in funding and 6.9 million dinars in subsidies.
These efforts aim to support 25,331 hectares of irrigated land and a target of 4,200 hectares for durum wheat and barley in the 2026 to 2027 season. The commission also organized 12 training sessions for 380 rural women to teach them about agricultural production, date processing, and financial education. To improve infrastructure, officials are preparing 230 hydraulic systems for the summer of 2027 despite issues with debt and falling groundwater levels.
A general agricultural census will begin in November to create a database for future policy decisions.
