Importing powdered milk…a danger for the dairy industry?

Midani Dhaoui, president of the Tunisian Farmers’ Union, criticized the provisions of the 2023 finance law, including article 21 relating to the cancellation of taxes on the import of powdered milk.

"This measure supports the ‘foreign farmer and destroys the national dairy industry (…) The State will import powdered milk at high prices at a time when the local processing plant is shut down because of the chaotic agricultural policy in Tunisia" , he said.

Tunisia has been experiencing a milk shortage since September 2022. Daily production currently stands at 1.3 million liters, while consumption is 1.8 million.

Dhaoui said that the strategic stock of this material is not exhausted but it only covers the needs of ten days only. This stock crosses the threshold of 50 million liters during the peak of production between January and the end of spring.

Some sources have estimated that Tunisia could register a shortage from next July if the State does not take measures to increase the number of herds in the center and south of the country, or the crisis in the sector is more noticeable, since farmers rely mainly on fodder.

Unlike pastoralists in the north and north-west who exploit the grasslands, those in the center and south complain of the skyrocketing price of fodder and call on the government to increase the price of semi-skimmed milk to ensure their financial equilibrium and deal with the increase in production costs.

It should be noted that 75% of the milk produced is packaged, while the rest is intended for derivatives.

Mosaic