Tunis — Industry Minister Mohamed Lamine Chakhari visited Wednesday El Borma oil field to inspect a new well tapped since last December and producing an average 800 barrels a day.

"The exploitation of this oil well is part of developing national crude oil production which recorded last year a decline of 1%, " reads a statement of the Industry Ministry released Thursday.

The Minister also visited the 50-hectare oasis of El Borma which numbers 5 000 palm trees likely to produce 30 tonnes of dates per year.