Algeria will remain one of the largest wheat importers in the new season

According to the forecast of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture, in the event of stable domestic wheat production in 2025/26, Algeria will import about 9.2 million tons of wheat to meet domestic demand, which will correspond to the volume of imports in the 2024/25 season, given the forecasted similar harvest.

The main supplier of wheat to Algeria remains the Russian Federation, although Ukraine has also become an important source of grain supplies, while wheat exports from France have sharply decreased this season, FAS reports.

If in the 2021/22 MY, Algeria imported 0.5 million tons of Russian wheat, then in the MY 2022/23 – already 2.1 million tons, in 2023/24 – 1.6 million tons, and in MY 2024/25 – over 1.8 million tons. Wheat exports from EU countries in the current season amounted to 1.16 million tons, although 6 years ago, Algeria purchased almost 80% of all imported wheat (approximately 5 million tons) from France.

Wheat and barley are the main crops grown in Algeria, with durum wheat accounting for the largest share. Over the past decade, durum wheat accounted for about 45% of the area sown, barley for just over 33%, and soft wheat for about 15%, FAS notes.

Wheat and barley production is expected to remain stable in the 2025/26 MY, with wheat harvests of 3 million tons and barley harvests of 1.2 million tons, in line with the previous season.

Algeria is a major consumer of cereals and the world’s second-largest per capita consumer of bread, at 110 kg per year. Bread is a staple food in the country and is heavily subsidized by the government. The FAS predicts that consumption will slowly increase as the country’s population, which is currently just over 46 million, grows.

According to the Algerian government, the milling sector consisted of approximately 432 mills in 2022, although the private sector reported that not all of them were operating and there were no new contracts or capacity increases, FAS notes. Wheat consumption is therefore expected to remain relatively stable at 11.9 million tonnes in MY 2025/26 and around 11.7 million tonnes in MY 2024/25.

Barley is mainly used as animal feed for sheep, cattle and camels, with small amounts used for green fodder or for the production of traditional foods such as couscous and bread. Total consumption in MY 2025/26 will be 1.8 million tonnes, 50 thousand tonnes more than in the previous season. To meet domestic needs, Algeria may import 700 thousand tonnes of barley, as in 2024/25 MY.

In recent years, corn has become Algeria’s second-largest agricultural import after wheat. And the poultry industry will continue to increase imports of corn and soybeans in the coming years, FAS believes. Corn imports are expected to reach 4-5 million tons per year, while soybean imports are expected to rise to 1.4-1.6 million tons per year due to increased oil production.