Tunisia caps banana prices to curb inflation

The Tunisian Ministry of Commerce has announced new ceiling prices for bananas, a staple fruit in Tunisian households, as part of ongoing efforts to ease consumer pressures amid rising living costs.

Under the new decision, Egyptian bananas are now capped at 5 dinars per kilogram, while bananas imported from other origins may not exceed 7 dinars per kilogram.

The ministry confirmed that control operations have been intensified across the country. Inspectors have seized shipments sold at inflated prices through smuggling networks and informal markets.

These confiscated stocks are being redistributed to official retail outlets at the regulated capped rates.

Bananas, like other key food items, have been subject to repeated government intervention in recent years. Since 2023, Tunisian authorities have imposed temporary price ceilings, launched emergency supply campaigns and warned traders against exceeding official tariffs.

In March 2024, the import of additional quantities briefly helped stabilise prices at around 7.5 dinars per kilogram, following sharp fluctuations. Earlier interventions had already fixed ceilings at 5 dinars during periods of high market tension.

For Tunisia, these steps reflect a broader strategy to contain inflation in basic commodities and respond to public discontent over the rising cost of living.

Such measures also highlight the increasing reliance on price controls and state monitoring to secure food stability — an approach closely followed by neighbouring countries, including Libya, where consumers face similar concerns over affordability of essential goods.