The value of approved agricultural investments in 2023 fell by 25.1% compared to 2022 to TND 480.1 million, according to a statistical bulletin on private agricultural investments in 2023 released on Monday by the Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency (APIA). The number of investment operations has also decreased by 11% to 3021 operations, which will create 3076 permanent jobs, compared to 3552 in 2022. Compared to the 2016-2020 development plan, private agricultural investments went down by 32.4% in number and 28% in value. The investments are distributed as follows TND 381.5 million for agriculture, TND 73.9 million for services, TND 57.9 million for fisheries, TND 33.3 million for primary processing and TND 3.9 million for aquaculture. There was also a decrease in the number of investments approved for young people, with 510 operations worth TND 52.3 million, compared with 791 operations worth TND 83.8 million in 2022. Conversely, 320 operations worth TND 33.3 million were approved for women, compar ed with 253 operations worth TND 28.3 million in 2022. Approved investments benefited from grants worth TND 139.5 million, representing 29.1% of the volume of approved investments, compared with TND 168.2 million in 2022 (26.3%). Subsidies for the purchase of agricultural equipment amounted to TND 57.5 million, representing 41.2% of total approved subsidies. The loan rate fell to a maximum of 20%. As for investment indicators in components that help rationalise the use of natural resources, approved investment in photovoltaic equipment increased to TND 11.7 million, with subsidies of TND 5.9 million. Investments in organic production amounted to TND 10.2 million, with subsidies of TND 3.4 million. Approved investments in olive tree planting components stood at TND 8 million, with subsidies of TND 3.6 million. Approved investments in water saving components amounted to TND 13.9, with subsidies of TND 6.5 million. In addition, the granting committees approved 42 land loans worth TND 6.6 million, compared to 58 loans worth TND 9.4 million in 2022. These loans will allow 413 hectares of land to be brought into the economic cycle, compared with 519 hectares in 2022. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
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