Tunis/Tunisia — The trade balance in fishery products was in a surplus of TND 464.8 million in 2022, up 26.3% on 2021, preliminary data provided by the National Observatory of Agriculture (French: ONAGRI) show.
Tunisia's fishery production in 2022 rose 1% on 2021 to 149,300 tonnes, while aquaculture production dropped 29.2% to 18,400 tonnes, ONAGRI added.
Fishery Exports rose to 38,400 tonnes in 2022, amounting to a total of TND 871 million against 33, 200 tonnes (TND 708 million) in 2021.
This rise is driven by a significant increase in sea bream exports (+ 1,900 tonnes), representing 43.5% of total exports, and 61.8% of revenues.
Likewise, exports of canned tuna rose to 4,928 tonnes (TND 81.7 million) in 2022 against 2,278 tonnes (TND 34.8 million) in 2021.
The volume of exports of canned sardines fell 25.7% in 2022; their value remained steady compared to the previous year.
Bluefin tuna exports also fell 24.5% in 2022 to 1,197 tonnes, generating TND 11.5 million in revenues considering the rise in export prices.
Meanwhile, Tunisia imported nearly 65,700 tonnes of fishery products in 2022, i.e. down 6.7% in volume and up 19.4% in value (TND 406.2 million).
This is mainly due to exports of frozen tuna intended for processing growing by nearly 4,938.2 tonnes in 2022, that is up 11.4% in volume and 43.1% in value.