Economy Bulletin

Minister of Economy and Planning Samir Abdelhafidh announced a target of 3 percent economic growth in 2027, with investments of around 32 billion and 630 million dinars. The minister told Parliament and the National Council of Regions and Districts that expected investment is up 14.1 percent despite continued pressure on energy and raw materials markets.

The draft state budget for 2027 allocates 13 billion dinars to repay domestic and external debt maturities. The draft also earmarks 100 million dinars between 2027 and 2030 for concessional loans to small farmers, along with raising maritime transport support for packaged olive oil to 60 percent.

On the markets, olive oil production estimates for the new season fell by up to 40 percent, with the harvest settling at around 250 thousand tonnes. Retail prices per litre range between 10 and 15 dinars, amid difficulties farmers face in obtaining ammonium nitrate and the effects of the late previous harvest season.

Fish markets recorded record high prices for bogue, reaching between 15 and 20 dinars per kilogram, after selling at around 6 to 8 dinars. The consumer defense organization called for tighter oversight to counter high prices, while the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries denied that fishermen are responsible and urged middlemen to cut their profit margins.

300 pharmacies face severe difficulties paying suppliers and securing the liquidity needed to buy medicines. Sector officials stressed that the delay in settling the arrears owed by the National Health Insurance Fund has become a heavy financial burden threatening the stability of the pharmaceutical system.

Meanwhile, power outages recorded during summer 2026 cost companies losses of 1269.6 million dinars in value added. A specialized economic study estimated the direct impact of the outages as a sharp slowdown in production at the affected firms.

The financial report on the draft state budget for 2027 set total borrowing needs at around 26 billion and 722 million dinars. The financing required is split between 19 billion and 845 million dinars of domestic borrowing and 6 billion and 877 million dinars of external borrowing.

In the same context, the draft state budget for 2027 proposes creating 32557 new recruitment positions in ministries. The draft includes regularizing a new batch of construction-site workers with 5663 positions, while the Ministry of Education receives the largest share with 5855 positions.

Minister of Economy and Planning Samir Abdelhafidh and the chairman of the board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Fawzi Youssef Al-Hunaif, signed two financing agreements worth 432 million dinars. The funding aims to support infrastructure projects, improve connectivity between regions and develop the road network.

In another development, the draft finance bill includes measures to broaden the tax base and bring the informal economy into the formal sector. The measures require e-commerce platforms to register for tax purposes, with checks on bank and financial declarations of digital transactions.

Expert Badreddine Sammaoui said pensions account for about 90 percent of social funds spending. The deficit of the National Pension and Social Welfare Fund reached 805 million dinars, while the deficit of the National Social Security Fund rose to 1516 million dinars.

At the market level, the regional agricultural development commissariat in Mahdia announced its estimates for the 2026-2027 olive crop at around 110 thousand and 613 tonnes. Expected output is equivalent to about 22 thousand and 122 tonnes of olive oil, amid logistical preparations to secure the harvest.

The financial report on the draft state budget for 2027 set total borrowing needs at around 26 billion and 722 million dinars. The financing required is split between 19 billion and 845 million dinars of domestic borrowing and 6 billion and 877 million dinars of external borrowing, with the possible issuance of two bonds on the international financial market worth 450 million euros and 350 million dollars. The budget also expects tax revenues to rise to 49.6 billion dinars.

In other news, imports of Algerian natural gas rose by 23 percent to meet domestic consumption needs. The increase comes as output continues to decline gradually at the local fields of Miskar, Hasdrubal and Nawara.

Following the markets, MSC sea freight rate tables revealed a shipping tariff on containers bound for Tunisia of 5550 dollars per container. This cost shows a gap of up to 2400 dollars compared with shipping to northern European ports, which directly affects the cost of imported goods and production inputs on the markets.

The finance bill and 2027 budget include proposals requiring e-commerce platforms and delivery services to transmit their transaction data to the tax administration immediately. The measures aim to curb tax evasion and control parallel transactions, as the state seeks to collect tax revenues estimated at around 49.6 billion dinars.

Separately, the General Directorate of Plant Health announced the start of the olive harvest in the delegation of Melloulech in Mahdia governorate on an exceptional basis, after cases of olive knot bacteria were detected. Agricultural services estimated the governorate's 2026-2027 crop at around 110 thousand and 613 tonnes of olives, equivalent to about 22 thousand and 122 tonnes of olive oil.

The Tunisian Federation of Tourist Restaurants warned of the negative repercussions of the proposal to raise consumption duties on alcoholic beverages in the 2027. finance bill. Federation president Habib Ben Moussa considered that Article 24 of the bill would directly harm tourism activity and professionals.