Algeria, a major importer of wheat, is struggling to develop its local production to reduce its dependence on foreign countries. The Algerian cereals sector suffers from several problems linked to the delay in its modernization.
Wheat producers recently gathered in front of the Directorate of Agricultural Services (DSA) in Annaba. Reason, late payments. Last July, they delivered wheat deemed non-compliant because it had sprouted to the local Cereals and Pulses Cooperative (CCLS).
These farmers, numbering around forty, told the Akhbar Echark web channel that they were waiting to be paid for the wheat delivered at the beginning of July to the CCLS in the commune of El Hadjar or at least to be compensated.
In July, delivery took place in the greatest confusion, with the CCLS refusing to receive grain from farmers. Nearly 150 20-ton trucks remained waiting for several days in front of closed gates. Finally, a solution was found: the trucks were unloaded. If each farmer had then received a weighing voucher, they would not have received the 6,000 DA per quintal of durum wheat delivered.
Concern about October sowing
During their gathering in front of the Annaba DSA, the farmers were surprised that their wheat “ was stored in simple sheds at the risk of deterioration by the rain ”.
Present on the scene, the president of the Annaba Chamber of Agriculture declared that he was increasing contacts with local authorities and the ministry concerned.
One of the farmers indicated that in 33 years of practice, this was the first time that such a late payment had occurred, adding regarding the previous harvest: “ We had expenses to pay for the rental of the land, seeds, fertilizers, fuel and if they don’t pay us we no longer have the funds to sow in October .”
Another farmer indicated that the regrouping brought together farmers from Annaba and El Tarf adding that they were regrouping peacefully. He added that they had been received by the DSA which informed them that it had sent up to 3 letters to the supervisory ministry but without any return.
Recounting the interview with the DSA, a farmer confided that the wheat in question had been declared unfit for consumption and that the solution involved compensating farmers through the agricultural calamity fund but that it was a matter of a decision depending on the guardianship.
Exasperated, the farmer exclaimed that he did not understand this downgrading for non-compliance and that he was consuming his wheat without having noticed the slightest effect on his health.
Wheat is unsuitable for making bread
A farmer questioned the decisions taken by the agents responsible for approving deliveries. The germination of standing grains is manifested by the appearance of a stem but can also be invisible to the eye.
Rain falling on the ripe grain triggers the awakening of the enzymes which then begin to break down the starch.
In all cases, the quality of the grain is irremediably altered. The wheat is then downgraded to feed wheat and cannot under any circumstances be used to make bread. The most serious thing is that even cut with flour made from non-germinated grains it remains unbreadable.
To measure the damage caused to the grains, there are laboratory tests. A weight is dropped into a mixture of flour and water. The time it takes for this weight to reach the bottom is then measured.
For a time between 240 seconds and 380 seconds, there is no enzymatic activity and the wheat is said to be bread-making. But if the weight falls in less than 170 seconds, this means that the gluten has been degraded and the wheat is declared non-compliant for bread making.
The germination of grains on the ears is linked to the abundant rains in June experienced by several wilayas on the Algerian coast. The phenomenon of global warming which affects Algeria could be the cause of this greater irregularity of rains.
For the coastal regions concerned, the solution involves choosing resistant varieties. Unaccustomed to this type of rain, farmers had not anticipated this risk.
The case of sprouted wheat from the wilayas of Annaba and El Tarf raises the question of compensation. These can be allocated on the basis of the insurance contract taken out by the farmer.
However, few of them insure their crops although this is obligatory when the farmer uses public subsidies.
Neither germination on the ground nor the risk of drought is taken into account. Contracts generally only cover the risks of hail or fire. There remains only one solution, recourse to the agricultural disaster fund.
On several occasions, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abdelhafid Henni, said that for farmers affected by drought and floods, compensation was provided in the form of grants of seeds and fertilizers.
There is also talk of rescheduling over 5 years of repayments of the Rfig campaign loan. A loan that farmers would have had to repay before September 30 under penalty of financial penalties.
Against agricultural calamities of all kinds, modernizing the agricultural equipment used can be a solution. Abdelhafid Henni also announced that consultation with the Ministry of Industry was underway to offer farmers equipment to improve their productivity.
In the future, the state-owned PMAT could produce Sampo brand combine harvesters with a wider cutting bar than the current models are only 2.98 meters. A way to reduce the duration of harvests and therefore the loss of grains through deseeding.
The width of the tools is also an issue in the case of sowing. Each variety of wheat has an optimal sowing period. But most often sowing operations in Algeria are considerably delayed and continue until the end of December.
A delay that reduces the resistance of plants to drought and results in yield losses. The slowness of operations and their high cost also result in the low area sown.
In Algeria, out of nearly 7 million hectares of cereal land, in 2022 only 1.98 million hectares have been sown. The alternative would be to have wider tools or to consider simplifying operations by abandoning traditional plowing.
An alternative allowing the speed of sowing sites to be increased from 2 hectares per day to 6 hectares with the result of a reduction in mechanization costs and better use of soil moisture.
Enough to counter the risks of drought and therefore to resort less to compensation.
