Tunisia secures 200,000 T of wheat in January tender as import needs persist
Tunisia’s awarded prices will likely serve as reference points for traders in the Mediterranean region through the first quarter of the year.
TUNISIA – Tunisia’s state grain importer, the Office des Céréales (ODC), has concluded an international tender to purchase 100,000 metric tons of soft milling wheat and 100,000 metric tons of durum wheat for delivery in early 2026, according to European trade sources and market reports.
The tender, held on January 28, 2026, reflects continued import activity amid ongoing domestic supply and price dynamics.
In the soft milling wheat category, the lowest awarded price came from trading house Finagrit, delivering four consignments of 25,000 t each at US$256.16–US$256.60 per ton cost and freight (C&F) into Tunisia.
For durum wheat, the most competitive offer was from Amber at US$323.89 per ton C&F for equivalent volumes. Shipment windows are scheduled between March 1 and April 15 for soft wheat, and February 20 to April 5 for durum, under the tender terms.
These levels are slightly softer compared with prior import tenders, suggesting modest downward pressure on milling wheat values for the second half of the season.
Tunisia’s grain import requirement remains a key component of its food security and milling sector strategy.
According to the FAO’s GIEWS country brief, the 2025 wheat harvest was above average at around 1.7 million tonnes, reducing but not eliminating import dependency.
Total wheat import needs for the 2025/26 marketing year are forecast at approximately 2 million tonnes, roughly 4 percent below the recent average due to the larger domestic crop.
Government regulation of imported wheat supply and subsidized pricing policies aim to stabilise local flour markets, even as global price volatility persists.
Tunisian agricultural statistics for 2025 also show that import volumes of cereals fell, despite slower export performance in other food categories, reflecting structural consumption and production patterns.
Notably, import prices for durum and milling wheat declined by around 18.5 percent and 3.5 percent respectively year-on-year, even as barley and other grains saw mixed price movements.
The decision to cover both soft and durum wheat needs through international tenders underlines the ODC’s role in managing supply at critical junctures.
Soft milling wheat feeds local flour mills supplying bread bakeries and industrial bakers, while durum is essential for pasta and couscous production, a staple of North African diets.
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