Snails market in Tunisia

Earlier Report Observations

The Tunisian snail market began the period with significant organizational efforts aimed at boosting the sector. In 2018, the creation of a Pilot Center for Conditioning and Processing of Agricultural Products near Zaghouan, managed by the Tunisian Snail Farmers' Mutual Society (SMH), was designed to enhance the commercialization and processing of farmed snails for export markets. Concurrently, the Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency (APIA) worked to organize breeders into mutual societies. These initiatives helped sustain stable production levels around 996–997 tonnes annually, but the domestic market volume, calculated as production plus imports minus exports, contracted from 727 tonnes in 2018 to 584 tonnes in 2021. This decline was primarily due to consistently high export volumes, which reached over 409 tonnes in 2021, drawing supply away from the local market.

From 2019 to 2021, the market volume in physical terms continued its downward trend, settling at 652 tonnes in 2020 and 584 tonnes in 2021. During these years, imports dwindled to nearly zero, while production remained steady and exports stayed robust. In monetary terms, however, the market's value showed consistent growth, rising from $3.6 million in 2019 to $4.4 million in 2022, indicating an increase in unit value or a shift towards higher-value products within the stable production base.

A reversal occurred in 2022 and 2023, with domestic market volume expanding to 630 tonnes and then sharply to 798 tonnes. This recovery coincided with the full operational launch of the Zaghouan processing center in 2022 and the organization of direct 'producer-to-consumer' markets in Tunis under a FAO partnership, which aimed to promote local products and shorten supply chains. Additionally, APIA's renewed call for investment in snail farming and processing helped structure the sector. These developments supported domestic availability and consumption, contributing to the market's physical growth, while the market value jumped to $5.5 million in 2023, reflecting enhanced valuation.

Production snails in Tunisia

In kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Tunisia was the world's second-largest producer of snails.

Top producers of snails, 2017-2020

World map of production of snails, 2017-2020

In 2020, Tunisia produced 996 tonnes of snails, showing little change from the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2018, at 0.2%, while the largest increase was in 2019, at 0.1%.

Annual dynamics of production in Tunisia in kind, 2017-2020, t

In value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Following two years of decline, Tunisia's snail production value rebounded. In 2020, output was valued at 5 790 thousand US dollars, marking an 11.2% increase over the previous year. Over the 2017-2020 period, production decreased by 5.4%, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%. The lowest value was recorded in 2019 at 5 209 thousand US dollars, and the largest decline occurred in 2018, at 12.6%.

Annual dynamics of production in Tunisia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Exports snails from Tunisia

Exports in kind, t

In 2020, Tunisia exported 344.2 tonnes of snails, a notable 10.6% increase from the previous year. From 2017 to 2020, exports grew by 29.2%, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.9%. The highest volume was in 2018 at 361.3 tonnes, while the largest decline was in 2019 at 13.9%, and the largest increase was in 2018 at 35.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Tunisia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, Tunisia's snail exports in volume were highly concentrated, with Italy alone accounting for 99.5% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Tunisia in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

In 2020, Tunisia's snail exports were valued at 2 001 thousand US dollars, a 23.2% rise compared to 2019. From 2017 to 2020, exports increased by 22.6%, equivalent to an annualized rate of 7.0%. The lowest value was in 2019 at 1 625 thousand US dollars, with the largest decline also occurring that year at 16.2%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Tunisia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, Italy dominated Tunisia's snail exports in value terms, consistently representing 99.7% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Tunisia in value, 2017-2020

Imports snails to Tunisia

Imports in kind, t

In 2019, Tunisia imported 5.0 tonnes of snails, a 94.6% drop from 2018.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Tunisia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, Algeria accounted for nearly all of Tunisia's snail imports in volume, with a 100.0% share of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Tunisia in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2019, Tunisia's snail imports were valued at 6 thousand US dollars, a 95.5% decrease from 2018.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Tunisia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, Algeria effectively monopolized Tunisia's snail imports in value terms, capturing 100.0% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Tunisia in value, 2017-2020