(Ecofin Agency) - • Tunisia’s 2025 industrial tomato output is projected to fall 15% to 850,000 tons.
• Downy mildew could cut Nabeul region yields by 40% due to crop damage.
• Tomatoes are Tunisia’s fifth-largest agricultural export, earning $83.4 million in 2024.

Tunisia, Africa’s second-largest producer of industrial tomatoes after Algeria, is facing a serious disease threat that could reduce its output. According to projections from the World Processing Tomato Council (WPTC) published on May 30, the country’s industrial tomato production is expected to reach 850,000 tons in 2025—a 15% drop from the 1 million tons harvested the previous year.

The decline is attributed to fungal disease outbreaks in key production zones. The WPTC stated that “recent rainfall has led to waterlogged soils, disrupting the treatment schedule,” which has allowed the disease to spread. Though the report did not name the disease, recent observations point to downy mildew caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungus that can destroy crops rapidly. The disease is marked by brown spots on leaves, stems, and fruits, leading to rotting.

On June 1, Tunis Afrique Press (TAP) reported that Mohamed Ben Hassan, Secretary-General of the Regional Federation of Tomato Producers in Nabeul, confirmed the presence of downy mildew. He noted that the disease has caused damage to 20–70% of tomato crops in the region, cutting average yields by 33% to 40 tons per hectare. As a result, production in Nabeul—Tunisia’s top tomato-growing area—is expected to fall by 40% to 240,000 tons this season.

Tomatoes are Tunisia’s fifth-largest agricultural export, following olive oil, dates, seafood, and other edible oils. In 2024, the country’s tomato exports brought in nearly 246 million dinars ($83.4 million), according to the National Observatory of Agriculture (Onagri).