The Farmers' Union expects olive oil production to drop by 40 percent.
The national olive oil crop is forecast to fall to around 250,000 tonnes during the current season amid difficulties in fertilizer supply and fears of high prices.
The president of the Tunisian Farmers' Union for Alpine Fields predicted a 40 percent decline in national olive oil production during this season. The new crop is expected to settle at around 250,000 tonnes in different production areas.
Al-Zawahiri returns this shortage in the new season to extending the previous harvest season until last April. These estimates coincide with farmers' concerns about rising prices and the lack of support needed to secure agricultural production requirements.
Producers are facing difficulties in obtaining fertilizer and supplying ammeter material for forests and fruit trees. The selling price of a liter of olive oil in local markets currently ranges from 10 to 15 dinars.
