20100527
all africa

Tunis — Tunisia is focusing on the performance of small farmers, particularly through a series of measures decided in their favor.

In this context, the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries met, on Tuesday, in Tunis with a group of small and medium farmers, and fishermen from all over Tunisia.

Small fishermen emphasized the need to revise the production costs of fishery products, which are increasing because of the need to modernize equipment and the hike in fuel prices.

In response to farmers' questions, Mr. Abdessalem Mansour, said that imports of agricultural goods were affected by rising prices at the international level. "The solution, he said, involves purchasing contracts negotiated through cooperatives and agricultural companies".

Referring to the expansion of irrigated areas, the minister recalled the start of the implementation of the Presidential Program on the development of a new generation of irrigated water systems associated with natural or treated water networks.