Page 20 - AA 2022 YEAR BOOK

Algeria

in which the production was 4.7 million High Regional Trade of against 1.1 million metric ton in 2018.
metric tons. Potato production is ex- According to ITC Trademap, the date ex-
pected to increase in order to meet the Dates is Driving the Market port value reached USD 52.0thousand in
domestic needs of the people in Algeria. Though watermelon and orange ac- 2017 as compared to USD 37.0 thousand
For instance, annual per capita potato counted for around 30.0% of the produc- in 2016. This rapidly increasing export
consumption in Algeria has increased to tion of the total fruit in 2018, the date is indicates the growth of the market. Ma-
65.0 Kg in 2018 which in turn increases the major commercial product in the Al- jor Algerian dates export destinations
the demand for potatoes, thus boosting gerian fruit segment. According to FAO, are France, Russia, and Spain. Among all
the vegetable market during the forecast the date is one of the major fruits pro- the importing countries France and Rus-
period. sia together hold 50.6% share of the total
duced in Algeria accounting for 1.1mil-
lion metric ton of production in 2019 as value of dates exported from Algeria.

BELOW AVERAGE CEREAL HARVEST GATHERED IN 2021

Harvesting of the 2021 winter grains the previous year and 7 percent above
is expected to be completed by mid Au- average. The country imports wheat from
gust. Being largely rainfed, cereal yields France, Canada, Germany, the United
are highly variable and depend on States of America, Spain and Mexico. For
rainfall amounts and distribution. Sow- the first time since 2016, the Russian Fed-
ing of cereals took place under favour- eration shipped wheat to Algeria in June
able weather conditions. However, by 2021. About 5 million tonnes of maize, for
mid February 2021, dryness prevailed use as feed, are also expected to be im-
in most cropping areas following below ported.
average precipitation amounts since mid
January. Although subsequent adequate Slow economic recovery,
rainfall contributed to a partial recovery
in crop conditions in northeastern parts tion of irrigation is expected to increase increasing price inf ation
of the country, drought conditions pre- yields from current 2 tonnes/hectare to The country is dependent on petro-
vailed elsewhere. Combined with the up 5 6 tonnes/hectare, eventually pro- leum and natural gas exports for export
impact on yields of unseasonable high ducing about 7 million tonnes of wheat earnings. A sharp decline in global oil
temperatures, a slightly below average per year by 2024 (depending whether ir- prices in 2020 slashed export revenues.
wheat output of 2.5 million tonnes is ex- rigation is supplementary or full). Mostly due to a decline of the oil sector
pected. Total cereal production in 2021 In March 2021, the Ministry of Agri- and the effects of the measures to con-
is estimated at 3.5 million tonnes, below culture launched a Global Agricultural tain the spread of the COVID 19 pan-
the five year average and about 38 per- Census of farms and livestock. The last demic, the economy contracted by 5.5
cent less than the previous year. census was carried out in 2001. The eval- percent year on year in 2020, compared
uation of livestock will be supported by to a 0.8 percent growth in 2019. High un-
In late 2020, the government intro-
duced a 2020 2024 roadmap strategy to the use of drones. employment levels prevail, affecting the
develop the soft wheat, maize, sugar and purchasing power of the population. De-
oilseeds sectors with the aim to reduce Wheat imports in 2021/22 spite the government’s plans to diversify
the annual food import bill. In the wheat to increase the economy and to resume exports of
sector, for example, broad moderniza- hydrocarbons, the economic recovery in
Even in years with ample domestic 2021 is likely to be sluggish, constrained
production, the country relies heavily on by the slow progress of the vaccination
imports of cereal grains, with common campaign.
wheat being the most prominent. In the In April 2021 (latest data available), the
last five years, the country’s import re- annual rate of the general price inflation
quirements were on average about 7.6 was recorded at 5.7 percent, the highest
million tonnes per year, mostly common level since 2018. In the same month, food
wheat that represents about 70 percent prices increased by 7.4 percent year on
of domestic utilization.
year, up from the levels close to 0 per-
Owing to the decreased domestic har- cent in the second half of 2020. Part of the
vest in 2021, wheat import requirements inflation increase is attributed to the de-
for the 2021/22 marketing year (July/ preciation of the national currency: USD
June) are projected at 8.1 million tonnes, 1 in July 2021 was equivalent to about
about 25 percent above the imports of DZD 135, compared to DZD 128 in July
2020.
18 Arab Agriculture 2022