Tunisia's egg crisis worsened by dietary regime, heatwaves

Tunisia's poultry sector is grappling with severe difficulties, particularly the egg market, which has experienced a collapse in prices and a significant drop in demand. Ibrahim Nefzaoui, president of the National Chamber of Poultry and White Meat Merchants, stated that the abundance of production has led to falling prices over several weeks.

Adding to the crisis, Nefzaoui pointed to the "Tayibat" regime, a dietary program promoted by an Egyptian doctor, as a factor that has further complicated the situation by allegedly decreasing egg consumption. The price of eggs had already hit a low point, with a carton of four eggs selling for around 400 millimes, before a recent heatwave began to impact the market.

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the situation has been further complicated by "the Tayibat regime," a dietary program promoted by an Egyptian doctor, which has allegedly contributed to a further decrease in egg consumption.

Nefzaoui indicated that while a slight improvement in demand was emerging before the extreme heat, the exceptional climatic conditions and electricity cuts have caused substantial losses for industry professionals, estimated at around 50%. Regarding poultry prices, he assured that no official increase has been decided, despite market shortages. Prices remain fixed according to the current reference mechanism, which is set to be re-evaluated on August 9. At that point, a new assessment of the sector's situation will be conducted with relevant authorities to consider potential measures.

Professionals in the sector are calling for close monitoring of the poultry industry to preserve its economic balance, citing challenges from declining consumption, price pressures, and the consequences of adverse weather conditions.

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These losses are estimated at about 50%.