Tunisia sets 19.8-million-litre milk reserve as low-output season begins

Government defines the 2026 buffer

Tunisia has set its regulatory stock of sterilized fresh milk for 2026 at 19.8 million litres, establishing the volume intended to support the domestic market when raw milk production falls. Directinfo reported that the measure was established by a joint ministerial order dated 22 September 2026 and published in the Official Gazette of the Tunisian Republic.

The order involves the ministries responsible for industry, mines and energy; agriculture, water resources and fisheries; finance; and trade and export development. It defines the high-lactation period as 1 March to 31 August 2026. During that period, milk is collected for storage and subsequent release when production declines. Eligibility for the sterilized fresh milk storage premium runs until 31 December 2026.

Seasonal pressure is already building

Tunisia’s low-lactation season generally begins around 1 September and continues through the end of February. Reduced availability of animal feed lowers national milk production and daily supply just as demand strengthens with the start of the school and university year and the resumption of teaching in large institutions.

The timing creates an additional test for the reserve. Ramadan 2027 is provisionally expected to begin on 8 February 2027, subject to official confirmation based on the lunar observation. That would place the start of the month inside the final weeks of the low-production period, before milk output has returned to its full seasonal level.

Buffer stocks accumulated during high lactation are designed to bridge this mismatch. Tunisia has used the mechanism for years, and recent market fluctuations did not develop into a prolonged shortage. Milk powder was also used to regulate supply during earlier disruptions. However, the published order and reports provide no figures for national daily consumption, current commercial inventories, daily milk collection or the planned rate of reserve releases.

Adequacy depends on stock control

Without those figures, the 19.8-million-litre target cannot be translated into a reliable number of days of market coverage. Its effectiveness will depend not only on the nominal volume but also on whether the stock was fully accumulated, how quickly it is released, where it is held and whether movements through processors, warehouses and retailers can be monitored.

Tunisia achieved milk self-sufficiency in 1999 and, during some subsequent years, exported surpluses and processed remaining milk into powder. The country had previously shifted support away from imported milk powder in 1981 to encourage local fresh milk production. The renewed need for buffer storage and occasional recourse to milk powder underscores the importance of transparent inventories. For producers, processors and retailers, publication of stock and release data would provide the clearest indication of whether 19.8 million litres can prevent disruptions through February.