The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) forecasts a volume of cereal imports for Algeria of around 14 million tonnes for the 2023/24 financial year.
A volume intended to cover internal consumption needs, including 8.7 million tonnes of wheat, or a volume of 60% of cereal imports.
As for the 2024/25 financial year, the volume of imports should remain unchanged with forecasts of around 14.1 million tonnes, according to the latest FAO report published on April 25.
A quantity that the report compares to the period 2020-2022, indicating that it is “ the highest volume of cereal imports compared to the last five years ”.
For the FAO, the explanation lies in the drought which affected the cereal-growing regions of the country and which meant that Algerian cereal production was below average.
In addition to wheat imports, there are those of corn which amount to 4 million tonnes, and those of feed barley, purchases of which should amount to one million tonnes.
The report explains this level of wheat and barley imports by the fact that these “ cereals being essentially rain-fed, yields vary greatly depending on the quantity and distribution of precipitation ”.
In this regard, the fact is highlighted that in the western regions of the country, rainfall was particularly irregular and above all below average, resulting in ” negative consequences on crop growth “, notes the FAO.
On the other hand, in the northeast and central regions, the FAO report notes the positive effect of heavy rains in November and December 2023.
The FAO therefore predicts a production level of 3.5 million tonnes of cereals in Algeria by 2024.
Finally, the report recalls that in Algeria the agricultural area devoted to the cultivation of cereals represents 3.3 million hectares and that over the last five years, production has not exceeded 4.2 million tonnes annually, which represents coverage of 30% of the country’s needs.
The report highlights that: “ Barley crops have also been affected by dry weather conditions and production is expected to be below the five-year average .”
The FAO recalls the desire of the public authorities to diversify cereal suppliers and notes that: “ Since the end of 2020, the country has authorized the importation of soft wheat with a tolerance percentage of damage caused by bedbugs (of 0.2 % to 0.5% and an increase to 1% at the end of 2021).
A measure which means that Russia has increased its “ wheat exports to Algeria, and it is currently one of its main suppliers ”.
In the South, aim for yields greater than 55 quintals
Last Sunday, the meeting of the Council of Ministers was an opportunity to discuss the combined harvest campaign for the year 2024.
During a presentation, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development underlined that Algeria has ensured “ 1.2 billion dollars ” in savings for the benefit of the Public Treasury, due to the “ abundant production of wheat had achieved this year, which allowed Algeria to move closer to total self-sufficiency.
On this occasion, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the setting of a “ strategic objective ”, capable of “ increasing the cultivated areas in the great South to 500,000 hectares ”.
He asked the Minister of Agriculture to improve productivity per hectare, which “ must not be less than 55 quintals in the southern regions ”.
The President of the Republic also “ ordered the production of corn grains and prohibited its harvest before full maturity ”. Algerian imports of corn (grains) are 4 million tonnes and are mainly used in poultry farming.
Until now, investors have favored the production of corn silage in wrapped bales for dairy farms.
In the North, cereal potential still underexploited
For many farmers affected by the drought in 2023, it was compensation in the form of seeds and fertilizers that made it possible to plant crops during the harvest.
Currently, the efforts of agricultural services and associated companies mainly focus on the supply of new varieties, certified seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural equipment.
As for crop protection, it is mainly phytosanitary firms that are responsible for popularization through a network of local importers and resellers.
In Algeria, the particularity of cereal farming lies in its close association with sheep breeding. The various partnerships led by the Technical Institute for Field Crops with international organizations have highlighted the need for better integration of livestock farming and the possibilities of reducing fallow areas through the simplification of tillage operations.
A program to revive the cultivation of pulses on these fallow lands was launched in 2023.
Concerning the consumption aspect, although there are different types of flour, in Algeria, it is mainly T45 type flour that is used in bakeries.
Type T55, and T65 flours are obtained by a higher extraction rate, resulting in greater fiber content and better dietary value.
The improvement in the extraction rate is accompanied by a greater quantity of flour and therefore better value for each quintal of imported wheat.
