Unusual weather conditions in southern Tunisia have significantly affected this season’s date harvest. Prolonged torrential rains swept through all growing regions, creating sustained high humidity levels above 60%. This excess moisture led to fermentation in the dates, severely impacting both the quality and volume of the crop intended for export.
In response, most processors paused harvesting to allow the dates to dry naturally on the trees. So far, only 30% of the harvest is complete, and quality issues are anticipated in the remaining crop due to fermentation. The supply of pitted and branched dates will likely be most affected, leading to a notably reduced yield this season and a probable sharp increase in market prices.
Almost all growers have taken proactive steps to protect their crops by covering date bunches with mosquito nets. Despite these efforts, current estimates indicate that 50–60% of the crop has been damaged. We will continue to provide updates on this evolving situation.
