• Home
• /
• Business

Algeria imports 2.28m tonnes of wheat

ALGIERS - Algeria, one of the world’s biggest grain buyers, imported 2.28 million tonnes of wheat in the first six months of 2004, a trade ministry official said on Saturday.

“We imported 1.4 million tonnes of durum wheat worth $320 million and 0.861 million tonnes of soft wheat worth $180 million,” the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters. The total included small amounts of other types.

No comparative figures were immediately available.

France was by far Algeria’s top supplier of durum wheat in the first half-year, providing almost 450,000 tonnes. The United States and Brazil sold Algeria more than 180,000 tonnes each.

France is also Algeria’s leading provider of soft wheat, supplying almost 300,000 tonnes followed by Argentina with over 170,000 and Brazil with more than 100,000 tonnes, the official said.

Algeria’s wheat imports are expected to cost around $1 billion this year compared with $1.12 billion last year, according to Agriculture Ministry sources.

Algeria’s grain harvest is estimated at four million tonnes this year, down from 4.3 million tonnes in 2003 because of poor weather.

Annual demand is estimated at above seven million tonnes and annual consumption of cereal products is estimated at 220 kg per person.