November 10, 2004

More Imports of Milk, Wheat Seen in Algeria
 

Algeria substantially increased imports of wheat and milk in the first nine months of 2004, compared with the same period last year, according the Algerian Central Bureau of Statistics.

Amar Assabah, the director of regulation at the Algerian ministry of agriculture, attributed this to changes in the exchange rate and the competitiveness of the international food market. The increase was not a relative one, only an absolute increase in the total amount imported, he said.

Algeria imported US$597,26 million of milk in the first nine months of 2004 as opposed to US$514 million in 2003. Approximately US$737 million of wheat was shipped into the country in the first nine months of 2004 as compared with US$710 million in the same period last year.

Amar Assabah noted that this increase has not, and will not affect the domestic market.