Organic farmers find fertile ground in North Africa

Organic farmers find fertile ground in North Africa

Out of 250 categories of organic products grown in Tunisia, around 60 are exported -- mainly olive oil but also dates, aromatic and medicinal plants as well as some vegetables and fruit. Despite its small size, Tunisia ranks 30th in the world and first in Africa in terms of area certified for organic farming.







AFP









November 08, 2021 / 04:58 PM IST





Proudly displaying her freshly picked pomegranates, Tunisian farmer Sarah Shili says going organic is "the future of farming" -- and as demand surges in North Africa and beyond, the sector is blooming. Shili runs Domaine Elixir Bio, a 94-hectare (230-acre) farm near Tunis that produces organic-certified vegetable, fruit and cereal crops in a way she said "respects nature". (Image: AFP)





The farm's revenues have surged thanks to strong demand and the growth of online sales, multiplying five times in as many years to hit 100,000 euros in 2020. That is despite the higher price of organic products in a middle-income country where many people's wallets have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and years of economic crisis. Indeed, with export demand also on