Tunisia’s Grain Office to build 120,000T grain silos, renovate storage infrastructure by 2027

TUNISIA – Tunisia’s Grain Office (Office des Céréales, OC) is planning to build new grain silos for soft wheat, durum wheat, and barley by 2027, with a total capacity of nearly 120,000 tonnes.

In an interview with TAP Studio, Salwa Benhadid Zouari, OC CEO, announced the project, which is estimated to cost TND 205 million (US$65 million).

The new silos will be constructed in three key locations: Rades (40,000 tonnes), Sousse (58,000 tonnes), and Sfax (38,000 tonnes), as part of a broader reform strategy aimed at enhancing Tunisia’s grain storage capacity, ensuring optimal preservation conditions, and securing national grain reserves.

In addition to building new silos, the Grain Office will embark on a major renovation program for existing silos built since 1985.

This modernization effort, valued at TND 143 million (US$ 45 million), will upgrade storage facilities with a combined capacity of 206,000 tonnes. The renovation will be implemented gradually to avoid disruptions in the country’s grain supply chain.

According to Zouari, the enhanced storage capacity will allow Tunisia to seize favorable purchasing opportunities on the international market, ensuring strategic stock levels are maintained.

Currently, the Grain Office operates a nationwide storage network with a total capacity of 508,000 tonnes. This includes three port silos (74,000 tonnes), eight fallback silos (168,000 tonnes), and 10 leased fallback silos from the private sector (272,000 tonnes). Additionally, flour mills across the country have a combined storage capacity of 290,000 tonnes.

For the 2024-2025 season, an additional 47,500 tonnes of storage capacity has been identified to optimize grain flow management.

Moreover, the government has mandated training sessions on open-air storage to support the 2025 grain harvest season. Open-air storage, primarily used for barley and large grain quantities, requires strict adherence to technical guidelines to withstand changing weather conditions.

Tunisia government allocates US$760M for grain purchases

Meanwhile, the Tunisian government has allocated TND 2,400 million (US$ 760 million) to finance 35 grain collectors, including the Grain Office.

This exceptional budget aims to facilitate grain purchases for the 2025 season. A dedicated committee will review and validate purchase requests before mid-April 2025. Collectors can finance purchases either independently or through funding provided by the Grain Office under specified conditions.

The 2024/2025 grain harvest is projected to reach approximately 780,000 tonnes. To accommodate this, additional collection capacities have been identified in key governorates, including Béja, Siliana, Jendouba, Bizerte, Kairouan, and Zaghouan, totaling 54,800 tonnes.

For efficient grain transfer, the Grain Office aims to streamline transfers from production zones to fallback silos in consumption regions especially in high-yield years when harvests surpass 900,000 tonnes.

During peak periods, daily collection rates can reach 12,000 tonnes, necessitating enhanced transport logistics.

To optimize grain transport, the government has decided to suspend the 22-tonne load limit for grain transport trucks in coordination with the Interior Ministry. This measure will increase transport efficiency by rail and road, leveraging a fleet of 400 trucks to handle peak transfers of up to 34,000 tonnes daily.

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