USDA: Algeria shifts wheat imports from France to Germany
A USDA report cited by El Khabar says France lost its dominant position in Algeria's wheat market to Germany during the 2021-2022 season. Algeria's grain imports for the new season are estimated at about 13 million tonnes, including 7.5 million tonnes of wheat, with Russia now competing and Ukraine posting modest results.
France loses ground in Algeria's wheat market
France has lost its long-held leading position in Algeria's wheat import market to Germany, according to the latest updated report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS), cited by the Algerian daily El Khabar. The change took place during the 2021-2022 marketing season and marks a notable realignment for one of the world's largest wheat buyers.
For decades France has been the reference supplier to the Algerian market, helped by established commercial ties. The USDA assessment that Germany has overtaken it points to a broader opening of Algeria's tenders to a wider set of exporters.
Import volumes near record levels
Algeria's grain imports for the new season are estimated at around 13 million tonnes, of which 7.5 million tonnes are wheat, according to the USDA report cited by El Khabar. The figures confirm forecasts of continued heavy purchasing by the North African country.
Algeria is the world's fifth-largest wheat importer, the USDA report notes. It regularly issues public wheat tenders, and El Khabar observes that these tenders serve as a useful indicator of global wheat prices. Because the tenders are usually open to wheat of multiple origins, competition among exporting countries has intensified, creating room for suppliers beyond the traditional French trade.
Russia enters, Ukraine lags
The USDA report also highlights the entry of Russia into the competition for the Algerian market, while Ukraine has posted modest results, according to El Khabar. The presence of new low-cost origins raises the pressure on established suppliers in a market decided largely by price and logistics.
Political backdrop
The report's publication coincided with the official visit of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Germany, El Khabar notes. The visit underlines the growing commercial links between the two countries as Berlin's grain trade gains ground in a market long served by France.
