by PressAlgeria’s grain harvest will fall by 35-40%
Algeria is expected to have a low grain harvest: the reasons
The weather in Algeria is not favorable to local farmers. The country is experiencing a drought, which has primarily hit the agricultural industry. It is expected that the harvest of crops will decrease by 35-40% compared to last season, when 5 million tons were harvested.
Over the past few years, Algeria has covered the need for durum wheat and barley through domestic production. The state has been buying soft wheat from France for a long time. However, the drought that swept through the eastern and western provinces caused significant damage to farmers. The pandemic has also contributed negatively, which has slowed down agricultural activities. Therefore, experts had to revise this season’s crop forecast.
Most likely, Algeria will have to increase imports of crops to meet the needs of the population. Each year, the state buys them for about 1.3 billion dollars. The purchase of wheat, which has the status of a strategic product, is carried out through the mechanism of subsidies.
Harvesting in Algeria begins in the southern regions, and gradually moves to the north. It will last until the end of the month. Farmers are already talking about low figures, and the quality of the grain is also in doubt. However, they hope the situation will change next season, provided there is plenty of rainfall.
The drought has had a strong negative impact on the agricultural sector. Now farmers are waiting for the government to take measures to improve the situation. First of all, it concerns the modernization of irrigation systems, which the authorities have promised to carry out.
Experts note that the only option to maintain high yields is to implement measures to reduce the impact of drought on agriculture. And it should be done now, without putting it off for a long time. The climate is changing, and every year there may be more and more dry periods. In Algeria, about 1.4 million agricultural areas are artificially irrigated. And only 600,000 of them are planted with grain crops.
In addition, the government is considering changes in the structure of cultivation. The authorities want to increase production of durum wheat. In addition, the plan is to reduce imports of durum varieties, and this will be achieved with the help of agronomists, which will introduce new, more drought-resistant seeds.
As a result of the fall in oil and gas prices, Algeria has faced financial difficulties. Therefore, the government is actively looking for options to reduce the cost of imports. For this purpose, they are engaging scientists who will develop technologies to improve agricultural efficiency. However, there is no concrete plan of action yet, and in the near future the needs of the population will have to be met through purchases from world traders.