Algeria wheat and milk production likely to go up

Algerian agriculture minister Rachid Ben Aissa said Saturday the Algerian demand of milk and wheat in the international market will drop by a significant rate this year.

• “The national production in wheat and milk will increase in 2009 which will have a positive impact on Algeria’s exports,” said the minister in a TV program.
• He believes that his expectations are due to rain falls since autumn and all the government’s mechanisms.
• Figures from the National Professional Office of Milk say Algeria’s milk exports are expected to reach $350 million in 2009 compared to $750 million in 2008.
• The national grains production is expected to reach about 30 quintals per hectare in many provinces this year after a fall by 50 percent in 2008 from 41 million in 2007 to 21 million quintals.
• “This fall is due to the improving fresh milk collection from sheep breeders along with better management of export operations,” said Ben Aissa.
• “Algeria saved about 40,000 tons of milk powder this year while the annual budget of government subsidy is estimated at 16 billion DZ per year.”