Algerians waste 500 billion centimes in Ramadan

The National Union of Algerian Traders and Crafstmen Sunday warned against waste in the fasting month of Ramadan as as people are expected to spend more than 500 billion centimes this year due to a 50-percent-rise in food consumption.

« In Ramadan, Algerians will consume 10 million quintals of vegetables. Of them, 500,000 quintals will be wasted and thrown in garbage, » chief of vegetables and fruit section at the union said in a press conference.

Chief of the National Commission of Bakers said people will consume 1.4 billion French sticks. Of them, 120 million will be thrown in garbage.  

According to the spokesman for the union Hadj Taher Belnouar, milk consumption average in Ramadan will go up to 150 million liters. Of them, 12 million liters are wasted.

He added tha red meat consumption will also increase to 40,000 tons and white meat to 30,000 tons. Dates consumption will be estimated at 40,000 quintals.

Belnouar said subsidized products such as milk and bread constitute 60 percent of wasted fod due to unreasonable consumption during Ramadan.

« Rich families are behind 70 percent of waste, » he added.

Those figures were estimated by food section representatives in all the provinces of Algeria.

« The State does not have official statistics about consumed food value. That pushed the National Union of Algerian Traders and Crafstmen to prepare a 1-year- field census to reach those figures which will help authorities to conduct programs and projects meant to reduce waste. »