Tunis/Tunisia — The approved private agricultural investments declined by 31.8% in numbers (2,647) and by 23.6% in value (358.7 million Tunisian dinars), during the first nine months of 2019.

These investments will help generate 3,393 permanent jobs, including 184 jobs for higher education graduates, according to data provided by the Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency (APIA).

The purchase of 1,181 tractors (68.5MD) were approved during the same period, against 2,303 (147.3MD) in 2018, hence a 21.3% drop in investments in the agricultural machinery, against 31.1%.

The declared investment operations in the first nine months of 2019 reached about 5,643 worth 1,047.2 MD against 6,526 operations worth 1,095.3 MD during the same period in 2018.

The APIA granted 3,300 cashing orders of bonuses worth 83.9 MD, against 3,500 orders during 2018 (65.3 MD) and 4,950 orders in 2017.

The investments of the Agricultural Promotion and Development Companies (SMVDA) edged up 53.8 MD against 20.1 MD during he same period last year.

This rise is due to the start to materialise projects of promoters beneficiaries of State lands as part of the 36 list

In September 2019, five investment operations as part of foreign co-operation were approved. Thry are two operations regarding the organic olive oil and prickly pear production and the setting up of a meat processing and packaging unit.

The agency also approved up to September, the granting of 61 loans (6 MD), including 37 loans in Kasserine and 11 in Sidi Bouzid, against 56 loans (5.5 MD) in 2018.

These loans will help integrate 666 ha in the economic circuit.