September 30, 2010

Algeria's grain production reaches 4.56 million tonnes

Algeria's grain harvest this year amounted to 4.56 million tonnes, broadly in line with official forecasts but down from the previous year, according to final figures released by the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday (Sep 29).

The total included 2.04 million tonnes of durum wheat and 0.92 million tonnes of soft wheat, the ministry said in a statement.

Algeria, the world's fifth-largest importer of grain, had a record harvest last year of 6.1 million tonnes but this year's crop was hit by poor weather conditions. The figures released by the agriculture ministry were broadly in line with official forecasts.

The ministry statement said that out of the 3.3 million hectares planted at the start of the season, 0.4 million hectares of crops were lost because of poor weather. Algeria's grain imports fluctuate according to the size of its domestic harvest.

Local media this month quoted the head of Algeria's state grain agency as saying that the country had sufficient stocks of durum and soft wheat and would not be importing any more before the end of this year.