Tunisia’s Textile Exports Rise in Early 2025 Despite Global Challenges
Tunisia’s textile exports grew by 2.61 percent in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 3.94 billion dinars (€1.18 billion), according to Economy and Planning Minister Samir Abdelhafidh.
Speaking at a seminar held in Monastir on Wednesday, August 27, he projected that exports could total 9.36 billion dinars by the end of the year, reflecting a 2 percent annual growth. The textile industry, Tunisia’s second-largest export sector, employs nearly 160,000 people across 1,600 companies—85 percent of which are fully export-oriented—and generates close to 10 billion dinars in annual export revenues.
Despite these positive indicators, the minister noted significant hurdles including international competition, rising freight costs, weaker European consumer demand, and new EU climate regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 2030. He called for a swift strategic plan to enhance competitiveness through innovation, clean industry adoption, and human capital development. Tunisia is also advancing cooperation programmes with Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, providing nearly 12.5 million dinars in external funding to support 51 textile companies and sectoral organisations between 2023 and 2027.
