Algeria is one of the largest wheat importers in the world. The country, like the entire Mediterranean region, is hit hard by drought during the 2023 season. It is ranked 29th out of a total of 44 countries exposed to very serious water stress. This situation has impacted national agricultural production, particularly wheat. The country will therefore import a greater quantity of wheat in the future.
The decline in national wheat production therefore forces the country to turn to more imports. In 2023, Algeria imported 7.88 million tonnes. A quality which should reach 8.7 million tonnes in 2024. Indeed, according to the French site specializing in agricultural and seafood products FranceAgriMer, Algeria imported 6.5 million tonnes (Mt) of soft wheat during the 2022/2023 campaign. For the 2023/2024 season, the country should import 7.2 Mt of this wheat, an increase of 11%. This is what the French site indicates in its latest economic report on the global situation of major crop markets.
Drought has reduced national wheat production
Algeria will therefore be one of the 5 largest importers of soft wheat in the world. It is ranked behind Egypt, China, Indonesia, and Turkey. Algeria is also the third customer of the European Union (EU) after Morocco and Nigeria, with purchases estimated by FranceAgriMer at nearly 1.5 Mt in 2023/2024, compared to 2.38 Mt in 2022/2023. These figures demonstrate, however, that Algeria has turned to other sources of supply other than European countries, notably France.
Concerning imports of durum wheat, Algeria comes in second position, with a purchasing volume of 1.28 Mt in 2022/2023 and forecasts of 1.5 Mt in 2023/2024, an increase of 8%, indicates FranceAgriMer. In total, for soft and hard wheat, Algeria imported 7.88 Mt last season and plans purchases of around 8.7 Mt during the current campaign.
It must be said that Algerian wheat production has declined over the last two years, due to the drought affecting the country. Reacting to the situation, the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) is banking on supplementary irrigation for the current season. This ministry affirms that for the current season, more than 2.6 million agricultural hectares dedicated to cereal growing have been plowed. It plans to reach 3 million hectares to increase national wheat production.
