Nabeul: Exceptional strawberry production with less surface area

The strawberry yield in the Nabeul governorate, which contributes about 90% to the country’s total output, is projected to increase this season to 20,000 tonnes from 16,000 tonnes registered at the end of the last season, according to Imed El Bey, the head of the Regional Union of Agriculture and Fishing.

In a statement to the Official Press Agency, El Bey noted that strawberry farming is primarily focused in the areas of Korba, Béni Khiar, and Dar Chaâbane El Fehri, covering 380 hectares (ha) of the 478 ha allocated for this purpose.

El Bey also reported that, despite a larger cultivated area of 520 ha during the previous season, production was lower. He attributed the decline in yield to climate change impacts, particularly drought, and mentioned that farmers were also challenged by rising production costs due to higher prices for agricultural inputs and nurseries.

Concluding, the union’s president underscored that the strawberry season would extend over six months, providing 200,000 workdays for local and seasonal workers from various regions, thereby supporting employment in the area.