Algeria to import over 9 mln tons of wheat

With production forecast to remain in marketing year 2025-26, Algeria is forecast to import over 9 million tonnes of wheat to meet domestic demand, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

The FAS forecasts wheat imports at 9.2 million tonnes in the marketing year beginning in July 2025, and estimates that import levels for the 2024-25 season will be the same based on a projected similar harvest.

“Russia remains the leading wheat supplier to Algeria, while Ukraine has emerged as another key source of grain with wheat export volumes from France diminishing sharply in the current marketing year,” the FAS said.

Wheat and barley are the main crops grown in Algeria, with durum wheat accounting for the largest portion. Over the past decade, durum wheat has made up about 45% of the planting area, barley slightly more than 33%, and bread wheat about 15%, the FAS noted.

Wheat and barley production is expected to remain stable in 2025-26, with the wheat harvest forecast at 3 million tonnes and barley at 1.2 million tonnes, both unchanged from the previous marketing year.

Algeria remains a major consumer of cereals and per capita the world’s second-largest consumer of bread at 110 kg per year. A staple food, bread is highly subsidized by the government, and the FAS anticipates that consumption will increase slowly alongside trendline population growth for the North African country of just over 46 million people.

According to the Algerian government, the milling sector was composed of about 432 mills as of 2022, though private sector estimates that not all mills are operational, the FAS said. No new agreements or expansions have been made. Because of these factors, wheat consumption is forecast to remain relatively steady at 11.9 million tonnes in 2025-26 and an estimated 11.7 million tonnes in 2024-25.

Barley mainly is consumed as grain in animal feed by sheep, cattle and camels, with small amounts consumed as green fodder. Minor amounts are used for traditional foods such as couscous and bread. Total consumption is seen at 1.8 million tonnes for 2025-26, up 50,000 tonnes from the previous year. To meet domestic needs, Algeria is expected to import 700,000 tonnes, the same as 2024-25.

In recent years, Algeria’s corn imports have emerged as the second leading agricultural import commodity after wheat. Algeria’s poultry industry will continue to reinforce corn and soybean imports in the coming years, the FAS said.

Corn imports will continue at between 4 million and 5 million tonnes annually, the FAS noted, while a rising crush industry producing oil will contribute to soybean imports of between 1.4 million and 1.6 million tonnes per year.

Tags: wheat, imports, Algeria