The recent events in the Black Sea coupled with unpredictable weather patterns are impacting global wheat prices more than ever. Despite the endeavours of agricultural services in Algeria, the country’s wheat production is not increasing.
A recent survey of 7 million hectares in the northern part of the country revealed that only 1.8 million hectares are sown with cereals, in contrast to a previous estimate of 3 million hectares.
It appears that this earlier estimate was based on the quantity of seeds produced by the Co-operatives of Cereals and Dried Vegetables (CCLS), which was 3 million quintals.
Assuming a seeding rate of 100 kg per hectare, this estimate suggested plantings on the order of 3 million hectares. However, this does not take into account farmers’ practice of increasing seeding rates to compensate for poor soil preparation and resultant germination losses.
Additionally, nearly 3 to 3.5 million other hectares are believed to be fallow, meaning they are either not cultivated or used for sheep grazing. While modern techniques are advancing on high-potential lands, the same cannot be said for marginal, non-irrigated areas. Agricultural services are struggling to develop suitable techniques in these areas.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is taking a gamble by planning to cultivate a million hectares in the south, dedicated to cereals and strategic crops.
To boost its wheat production, Algeria has several levers at its disposal: Saharan agriculture and northern cereal regions with substantial untapped potential.