Algeria forms commission to address red meat production, import dependence

ALGERIA – Algeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Youcef Cherfa, announced the establishment of the National Commission for the Strengthening of Red Meat Production in December in Algiers. 

This new body is tasked with finding solutions to expand the country’s sheep and cattle populations, aiming to boost domestic red meat production and reduce reliance on imports.

Members of the commission have been given a two-week deadline to create a detailed action plan to meet the outlined goals. 

This initiative comes at a time when Algeria is increasingly turning to beef imports to satisfy domestic demand.

Recent figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveal a sharp rise in Algeria’s beef imports. 

The country is projected to purchase 69,000 tonnes of beef in 2024, an increase from 12,000 tonnes in 2023. 

This surge is attributed to a more than 30% jump in domestic consumption, which reached 209,000 tonnes. 

In contrast, local production has experienced a decline, dropping 4% to 140,000 tonnes.

The government sees a reduction in red meat imports as an opportunity to cut down on the financial burden of food imports. 

Data from the Trade Map platform shows that Algeria spent over US$36.6 million on beef imports in 2023. 

The country’s meat imports have been steadily rising in recent years. 

In 2021, Algeria spent US$9.97 million on bovine meat, while in 2019, the total value of meat and meat preparations imported amounted to approximately US$186 million. 

Additionally, in 2016, Algeria’s expenditure on meat, fish, and seafood preparations was around US$35.55 million.

Algeria remains Africa’s largest food importer, with beef being a major import to meet demand, particularly during the Ramadan period when consumption spikes. 

The country’s beef imports are a mix of government and private sector purchases, with the government occasionally stepping in to release beef onto the market to help manage food inflation.

Algeria’s main import partners include China, France, Italy, Turkey, and Brazil, with other key imports being wheat, concentrated milk, corn, iron ore, and soybeans.

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