Algeria’s wheat import slightly up in 2014

Wheat imports are about $1.20 billion in the first half of 2014 against nearly $1.18 billion in the same period of 2013, slightly up 1.46%, the Algerian customs said.
The quantities of imported wheat (soft and hard) totaled 3.655 million tons against 3.173 million tons during the same period of comparison, also up 15.16%, said the Customs’ National Centre for Data Processing and Statistics (CNIS).
Durum wheat imports reached $386.88 million during the first half of 2014 against $308.03 million during the same period of last year, up 25.6%, says the CNIS.
The imported durum wheat totaled 981,952 tons in the first half of this year against 755,581 tons, up 29.96% also.
Import bill of soft wheat was $809.58 million during the first half of 2014 against $868.21 million in the same period of 2013, down 6.75%, while the imported quantities have increased by 10.87% to reach 2.673 million tons.
Cereal production in season 2013/2014 significantly dropped to about 30 million quintals (qx), affected by the drought that has persisted during the year particularly in spring.