Economic importance, potentials and performance of the Tunisian meat sector : red meat supply response and its determinants

Economic importance, potentials and performance of the Tunisian meat sector : red meat supply response and its determinants

New Medit, vol 8, n. 2, (June 2009), pp. 31-37

 

Language: EN
Jel classification: Q120, Q130

 

Alike other North African countries, Tunisia is characterized by vast pastoral territories. The main vocation of these areas was livestock production. Pastoral lands, which are subject to increasing pressure leading to their degradation, not only provide forage to feed livestock but also play a critical role in alleviating many of the most challenging environmental and ecological problems. Today, the situation is complex since phenomena of degradation, drought and grain price escalation. As a result, some breeders stop their activity in search of more lucrative chances. Others diversify their income sources by trying to carry out small service activities in the neighbouring villages. But, when livestock production remains the main activity, they try to strive, after all, to maintain their flocks. Livestock rearing, frequently being the only possible activity in less favoured areas, is often fundamental to maintain social activities and contribute to the national self-sufficient in meat. This paper provides a summary of indicators demonstrating the economic importance and potential of the livestock sector in Tunisia in order to raise the awareness of decision makers on all opportunities this sector can offer if we can orientate the breeders behaviour with respect to economic and climatic conditions. The paper focuses on the determinants of the production supply and on the livestock dynamic process by carrying out a relational analysis to determine the factors and the decisional variables which affect the productivity parameters and the behaviour of breeders in their decisions related to meat production and optima livestock size. We showed that the identification of such determinants allows decision makers to select the intervention tools according to target objectives.

 

ivestock, performances, Tunisia

 

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