الثلاثاء، 25 فبراير 2025 
BY: Dr. Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The development of the agri-food industry is crucial for ensuring the country’s food security, prompting the government to encourage the establishment of large industrial complexes to produce essential food products locally.
This policy has led to the launch of two major agri-food complexes in the country, primarily focused on the valorization of agricultural products and the development of intensive agriculture. These projects include the Tafadis complex, specialized in sugar refining, and the Kotama complex, specialized in oilseed crushing. These initiatives stem from the government’s efforts to “enhance the development of this strategic priority sector (agri-food), through the pooling of efforts between the industry and agriculture sectors,” as recently stated by the Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production, Ali Aoun.
The Minister emphasized, during his recent visit to Boumerdès province, that “the State attaches great importance to such projects, which guarantee food independence for citizens.” He further highlighted efforts to ensure the availability of these products in the domestic market, aiming to reduce the country’s costly import bill for these widely consumed products.
Koutama Agrifood Complex in Jijel
The Koutama Agrifood oilseed crushing complex, located in Bazoul, Taher municipality (Jijel province), is expected to commence operations by the end of the first half of 2024. This facility was transferred to the Madar public holding company in 2021 after nationalization by court order. It is one of the most significant projects receiving major attention from the country’s top authorities to supply the domestic market with table oil.
Specializing in the extraction of crude vegetable oils from soybeans, this complex comprises an oilseed crushing plant, a raw material (soybean) storage unit, and another unit for storing the finished product and marketing oils. The complex’s operation will initially cover 20% of the national demand for table oil and between 70 and 80% for animal feed, before transitioning to exports in a second phase.
During the initial phase, the complex will crush 5,000 tons of oilseeds daily, producing 1,000 tons of crude oil and 4,000 tons of animal feed, creating 500 permanent and 1,500 non-permanent jobs.
Tafadis Sugar Refining Complex
The Tafadis sugar refinery, specializing in refining, production, and marketing of sugar, located in Larbaâtache (Boumerdès province), was revived after its acquisition by the Madar public holding company. Its construction is part of the state’s efforts to achieve sugar self-sufficiency, with plans to export surplus production.
The refinery’s projected production capacity is 2,000 tons/day of various types of sugar, creating 1,200 jobs, including 550 direct and 650 indirect positions. As for raw material supply, Madar has conducted successful trials in the South of the country, cultivating sugar beets, which will not only serve as raw material for sugar but also for livestock feed and certain types of alcohols.
In January of this year, Tafadis signed a memorandum of understanding with the American company Reasol to jointly develop an integrated sugar industry project. This strategic partnership aims to produce 100% Algerian white sugar meeting international standards, with aspirations to enter new export markets, particularly the American market, through large-scale cultivation and industrial transformation of sugar beets.
Translated from:
https://lalgerieaujourdhui.dz/industrie-agroalimentaire-zoom-sur-les-complexes-kotama-et-tafadis/
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