QNB CEO Lotfi Debbabi Expresses Satisfaction at the 25th Anniversary of the Forum
The CEO of QNB, Lotfi Debbabi, expressed his satisfaction at the 25th anniversary of the Forum, during the second panel on financing agro-food systems. He highlighted the importance of reviewing the entire value chain, from agricultural production to exportation or retail sale, to address the crucial issue of financing. Each stage of this chain is supported by various financing mechanisms.
To illustrate, farmers benefit from seasonal and campaign credits, in accordance with Tunisian regulations, as well as specific financing for olive-related activities. Similarly, agro-industrialists have access to other forms of financing, such as cash facilities, commercial discounting, pre-financing, and export financing. Exporters, in turn, benefit from specific pre-financing and international credit mobilization.
However, banks do not show the same enthusiasm for financing agriculture, mainly due to the low appetite for risk in this sector. This reluctance is explained by the fact that the risk associated with farmers is higher than in other sectors, making repayment more challenging for banks, particularly those with an agricultural vocation.
Furthermore, Lotfi Debbabi addressed the challenges faced by farmers, including climate risks, water crises, and equipment and technology needs. He regretted that investments are not sufficiently financed, as long-term resources are not allocated by the banking sector to support agriculture. Currently, financing focuses more on operational cycles than long-term investments.
