New Daily System Tracks Fruit, Vegetable Prices

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb held a meeting with wholesale market agents for fruits and vegetables on October 20 to secure their participation in a new daily price monitoring system. This inter-ministerial council meeting implemented directives issued by the President of the Republic on October 18, which called for immediate measures to monitor the prices and availability of basic products. The government has now advanced to a phase of direct consultation with professionals in the sector.

The new mechanism, which is currently in preparation, aims to encompass the prices and availability of essential products nationwide. Its objectives include strengthening transparency within wholesale markets, ensuring product traceability throughout the distribution chain from producer to consumer, and guaranteeing the consistent availability of fruits and vegetables at controlled prices. The government has described this approach as participatory, with representatives of agents and wholesalers in fruits and vegetables presenting their concerns and proposals during the discussions on structuring product commercialization.

The President's directives established a decentralized framework for daily price monitoring, stipulating that local trade directors, under the responsibility of the walis, will oversee its implementation. A digital database is also planned to serve as an alert system for any abnormal price increases or product shortages. These government initiatives, which have previously included price caps on potatoes and destocking operations, are part of the country's broader policy to support purchasing power, with the Minister of Internal Trade having also announced daily price publications and a mobile application for reporting infractions.