Wajih Mesfar, treasurer of the Regional Chamber of Jewelry Artisans of Sfax, stated that the prices of gold applied on the Tunisian market do not reflect the actual movements of global prices. He emphasized that the jewelry sector is going through an unusual period, marked by a slowdown in manufacturers’ activity and a halt in production.
According to Mesfar, the prices applied on the local market do not follow fluctuations in international rates. He believes this situation is explained by recent events affecting the sector, which have led to a slowdown in manufacturers’ activity.
He also indicated that the market is going through an exceptional conjuncture, warning of a risk of contraction in the gold supply, which could be accompanied by an increase in demand and a rise in prices.
Call for the reopening of the stamping office in Sfax
In this context, the treasurer of the Regional Chamber of Jewelry Artisans of Sfax noted that the stamping office in the region is currently closed. He called for its reopening to allow artisans to stamp gold jewelry.
He also reported a production halt and a reluctance among merchants to sell, in a context marked by the rise in the price of 18-carat gold.
Regarding the evolution of international prices, Mesfar indicated that the price of an ounce of gold had fallen compared with the previous week, settling around 4,050 dollars.
On the Tunisian market, the price of a gram of 24-carat gold intended for manufacturing reaches about 390 dinars.
As for 18-carat gold, its price ranges between 380 and 470 dinars per gram, while scrap gold of the same title trades between 285 and 290 dinars per gram.
For new 9-carat gold, prices oscillate between 220 and 250 dinars per gram, compared with 100 to 120 dinars for scrap gold of the same category.
Silver prices remain stable
Moreover, Wajih Mesfar indicated that the price of silver remains stable, at 5.5 dinars, without specifying the reference unit.
These data, according to his statements, appear in a context particularly difficult for the jewelry sector, characterized by a halt in production and a decline in commercial activity. A situation that raises concerns about a possible decrease in supply and a new rise in prices in the coming period.
