Malnutrition to hit Algeria in the coming years

Eating habits are not consistent with the global health standards, or the consumption of low-interest products, as designated by the specialists.

• It is a phenomenon that is not the result of the cultural heritage, but is linked to the purchasing power of the Algerian citizen, and even, if the majority of them have one dollar a day, the studies show that half of the Algerians do not consume meat and fruits, and that their consumption is limited on pasta, bread and milk, ten times of the neighbouring countries and developed countries.
• According to those data obtained by Echorouk, the Algerian citizen consumed 200 kg of grain per year, on average, thus occupying the first place in the world, through consuming milk 30 times what as much of French, 25 times as much of Moroccan, 15 times as much of Tunisian and 9 times as much of Libyan.
• The Algerian citizen consumed 33.2mg of bread in 1980 to 40 kg in 1990 to 46.5 kg in 2000, and it is expected to reach 50 kg in 2010.
• This pattern created a rise in the family’s consumption budget, as it ranges between 55% and 60% of the monthly budget, while this rate ranges in France, for example, between 15 and 17% only.
• In addition to the emergence of a new habit in Algeria, drawing the large part of Algerians to the daily consumption of industrial pasta because of its law prices, which is an evidence, according to specialists, that there is a total absence of the Algerian consumer in the cultural data which is circulating in the world, and which can help him choose his way of nutrition.
• This was confirmed by the economic expert, Abdelamalek Serai, who said; “The Algerians are far from the food culture, for example, the South European countries consume more fish to cope with cold climate, North African countries such as Spain, Italy, and Greece consume olive oil, the Asians consume rice instead of bread, and some African countries consume barley because it is rich with important vitamins. However, in Algeria the consumer is limited to milk and bread, foods that are called “low-interest products”, accordingly the national production covers only 20 to 30% of the needs, which sink it in a terrible subordination recording frightening figures, that are rising continuously, where the bill for imported food has moved from $2.4 billion to more than $3 billion in 2005, reaching $8 billion in 2008.
• Algeria’s food exports did not exceed $80 million in 2007-2008, a value lowest than Picasso’s paintings.
• In order to face this danger, experts think that our food security begins with producing all kinds of seeds, as the Algerian seeds of wheat are good, as described by the American ambassador “Seeler”, who was representing USA in Algeria before the French occupation. Algeria was on of the largest producers and exporters of wheat during that period.