Central Bank of Tunisia Publishes Circular on Debt Relief for Agricultural Sector
The Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) published a circular on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, outlining the conditions and procedures for implementing the debt relief mechanism for the agricultural sector, as provided for by Law No. 5 of 2026 and the 2026 Finance Act.
Key Provisions
The circular specifies how banks will handle the files of farmers and agricultural enterprises facing repayment difficulties, with the possibility of debt rescheduling and waivers on late payment penalties. Two distinct mechanisms are provided:
- First Mechanism: Applies to farmers and agricultural enterprises whose loans were classified as categories 4 or 5 as of September 30, 2025. Beneficiaries can request a debt rescheduling of up to seven years, including a one-year grace period. All late payment penalties will be canceled. To access this measure, the debtor must pay at least 5% of the outstanding principal at the time of the request.
- Alternative Option: If the beneficiary repays their debt in full within six months of their request, the bank will cancel all late payment penalties and 50% of the contractual interest.
Second Mechanism
Derived from Article 59 of the 2026 Finance Act, this mechanism targets agricultural debts with an initial principal amount not exceeding 10,000 dinars per farmer, classified as categories 4 or 5 as of June 30, 2025. In this case:
- The debt can be rescheduled over a maximum period of ten years, with a maximum one-year grace period.
- Beneficiaries will not have to pay an advance, and late interest will be totally eliminated.
- Regularization requests must be submitted to the concerned bank before December 31, 2026.
- Banks will have a maximum of one month to verify the eligibility of the file and sign the settlement agreement.
Automatic Improvement of Bank Rating
An important point concerns the situation of beneficiaries with the banking system. Upon signing the settlement agreement, banks will automatically reclassify beneficiaries as category 1 with the BCT's Central Risk Unit. This measure could facilitate future access to financing for the concerned farmers, although reclassification does not allow banks to immediately recognize the rescheduled amounts as revenue until they have been effectively collected.
Exclusions
The circular excludes debts that are the subject of judicial proceedings for corruption or money laundering, except in cases of a final judgment pronouncing acquittal. Additionally, the bank may cancel the settlement agreement if the beneficiary fails to meet their commitments or if it is found that they did not meet the eligibility conditions provided for by the regulations.
Implementation
This circular comes into effect immediately and constitutes the operational framework allowing banks to implement the support measures for farmers in financial difficulty.
