Algeria counts over 41,000 importers

Statistics concerning the activities of economic operators in the field of import and export, which is obtained by Echorouk, show the volume of the government’s fears from the fragile situation of foreign trade, and its declaration of the “war” against the Mafia of importation through import licenses and the inclusion of a black list of materials that are banned from import, with a view to the local product support and promotion of foreign trade to reduce the volume of imports, with the decline of Algeria revenues of fuel, due to the lower oil prices.

Latest figures indicate that the number of active institutions in the field of import and export exceeded 42.000, and more than 41.000 in the form of import commercial companies, at a time the number of exporting enterprises did not exceed 1200 institutions, I.e the companies that are active in the field of foreign trade enterprises are mainly active in the field of import by 98%, compared to 2% for the exporting enterprises.

A source close to the import and export file revealed that 30 to 40% out of 42,000 importers are active in the field of import products are “junk” and compete with local product.

“Those will stop the activity gradually, if the procedures that were taken by the Ministry of Commerce in coordination with other ministerial sectors are applied to clear the import file from mafia, and semi-importers, especially after the issuance of import licenses.

As for the foreign enterprises that are registered in the commercial register, and which have a foreign manager, they represent about 2500 companies, more than 2,300 of them are active in the field of import, in the forefront, including Syrian, Tunisian and Chinese companies, which benefit from “billions” as a result of customs exemptions with economic regions that have economic agreements with Algeria, for the import of “junk” products from their countries of origin and promotion in Algeria, and which threaten the national product, in contrast, 170 foreign institutions out of 2,500 are active in the field of export, including Syrian, Tunisian, French and Italian companies.