Over 90% of Products are Algerian: The Great Boom of the Agricultural Processing Industry

✏️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

ALGIERS – May 4, 2024- During his address at the trade union headquarters on Wednesday, May 1st, in celebration of Labor Day, the President of Algeria expressed contentment with the recent strides made by the Algerian economy. The country has undergone a resurgence, positioning itself as Africa’s third-largest economy, following South Africa and Egypt.

Algeria has adopted a new economic strategy that prioritizes the development of processing industries, moving away from its former role as a consumer of finished goods. The agri-food sector serves as a notable example, with the President lauding “exceptional results in the production and processing of food and agricultural products.”

A significant portion of the products now found on Algerian tables are “over 90% Algerian,” as emphasized by the President.

Localized Products Dominate Algerian Markets

The President announced that by the end of this year, sugar and cooking oil will be locally produced. In January, Tafadis, a subsidiary of the Madar Group specializing in sugar refining, signed a memorandum of understanding with the American company Reasol. This agreement aims to develop an integrated sugar industry project in Algeria, covering large-scale sugar beet cultivation to industrial processing, resulting in the production of 100% Algerian white sugar meeting international standards.

Regarding cooking oil, the inauguration of Cevital’s plant in Béjaïa a year ago by the President is intended to supply Algeria with a 100% local product to meet domestic needs and facilitate exports. According to Cevital’s figures from last year, the Béjaïa plant has a capacity of 2 million tons per year, processing 11,000 tons of soybeans per day, along with 6,000 tons of sunflower or 5,000 tons of rapeseed.

Another cooking oil production project is underway at the Koutama Agrifood complex in Taher, Jijel, which will also produce animal feed. Once operational, this complex will cover 20% of the national demand for cooking oil.

Algeria is also involved in a project to produce powdered milk locally in Adrar, in partnership with the Qatari operator Baladna. This project, covering a 117,000-hectare area, aims to fulfill 50% of the national demand for powdered milk locally, with an estimated value of $3.5 billion. It is expected to create 5,000 direct jobs.

The President’s satisfaction with advancements in the agro-food processing industry is based on tangible evidence, offering promising prospects for the Algerian economy.

Algerian Industry Makes a Comeback

Beyond the agro-food sector, Algeria has reinvigorated its industrial machinery in various sectors. The President announced the production of household appliances with a high rate of local integration by the end of this year.

The pharmaceutical production sector also holds significant promise for Algeria in the industrial arena. The coverage rate of the national market for local pharmaceutical products is around 70%, according to figures provided by the Minister of Industry, Ali Aoun, at the end of last year.

An example of Algeria’s efforts in this sector is insulin production. Last week, Ali Aoun stated that nearly 60% of insulin distributed in the national market is produced domestically. Algeria has even ventured into exports, with Novo Nordisk Algeria pharmaceutical laboratory exporting 2.5 million insulin pens to Saudi Arabia last week.

The automotive industry has also experienced a noteworthy resurgence in Algeria over the past two years. While only the Fiat factory has commenced production so far, other brands are expected to follow suit and transition to local production. Fiat’s Oran plant can rely on local and international suppliers for spare parts and components necessary for car production.

In April, Fiat, under Algerian government auspices, engaged with 90 aspiring operators to become suppliers of spare parts and components.

With a growth rate of “4.2%” and a GDP that has increased from “164 billion dollars in 2015 to 260 billion dollars by the end of 2023, achieving a significant leap and expected to reach 400 billion dollars by the 2026-2027 period,” the prospects are favorable for the Algerian economy, which can aspire to ambitious goals for the future.

Translated from: https://lalgerieaujourdhui.dz/plus-de-90-des-produits-sont-algeriens-le-grand-boom-de-lindustrie-de-transformation-agricole/

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