Tunisian textile exports increased by 2.61% between January and May 2025, reaching nearly 3.94 billion dinars. Despite this positive assessment, the sector remains faced with heavy challenges linked to international competition and new rules of the European market.
On the move to Ksar Hellal (Monastir), the Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Abdelhafidh, announced on Wednesday that the value of textile exports was established at 3942 million dinars (1178 million euros) in the first five months of 2025, an increase of 2.61% compared to the same period in 2024.
He added that forecasts are counting on a volume of global exports reaching 9,365 million dinars at the end of 2025, an increase of approximately 2% compared to the previous year.
Persistent obstacles despite the progression
If the indicators are encouraging, the minister recalled that the sector remains exposed to several constraints such as the strong competition of other producing countries, the high cost of maritime freight, the drop in purchasing power in Europe, the new EU carbon tax mechanisms, the increase in energy, water and raw materials, as well as administrative heaviness.
“It is necessary to accelerate the implementation of a plan to deal with the requirements of the global markets and to strengthen investment and innovation,” insisted Samir Abdelhafidh.
Innovation and international partnerships
The Minister highlighted the continuation of the GTEX-MENATEX program (2024-2027), funded up to $ 2 million as part of Tuniso-Suisse and Tuniso-Suédoise cooperation. Some 33 textile companies and support structures will benefit from this project.
In the same spirit, the CBI program (2023-2026), funded by Tunisian-Dutch cooperation up to 1.8 million euros, will support 18 additional companies.
In total, said the minister, 12.5 million dinars of external funding was mobilized in the form of donations for the benefit of the sector.
A strategic sector for the Tunisian economy
Second exporting sector in the country, the textiles represents nearly 160,000 jobs in 1,600 companies, 85% of which are exported. Its volume of annual exports is around 10 billion dinars.
“Our priority is to develop human capacities, adopt modern technologies and promote its own industry capable of reducing carbon emissions,” said the minister.
