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Tunisia is grappling with a severe grain shortage crisis, leading to long bread queues at bakeries across the capital and other cities. A drastic 60% decrease in grain production, resulting from a harsh drought, has deeply impacted the availability of flour and semolina – key elements in the production of bread. The crisis has also affected street vendors who sell affordable sandwiches in populous areas, an essential aspect of the local food culture.
Despite consistent shipments of grains from Russia and other countries arriving at Tunisian ports, bakeries and food traders express frustration over delays in unloading these shipments. In an attempt to mitigate the soft wheat shortage, authorities have resorted to supplying subsidized bakeries with hard wheat, typically used for semolina. However, this strategic move is not viewed as a sustainable solution and may further escalate the crisis. Hard wheat is approximately $100 more expensive per ton than soft wheat, significantly increasing the government’s subsidy costs and depleting the semolina supply in the market.
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The grain crisis intertwines with Tunisia’s precarious fiscal situation, presently enduring a liquidity crunch. Despite the economic challenges, securing bread production remains a high-priority agenda for the government, given the vital role of this staple food. It is noteworthy that bread was a catalyst for significant public protests in the country in 1984. To ensure a steady grain supply from global markets, the government secured an $87 million loan from the African Development Bank last September.
