Algeria Gears Up for 2024/2025 Harvest Season with Ambitious Agricultural Plans
Algeria’s agricultural sector is actively preparing for the 2024/2025 harvest and threshing season, which is expected to benefit from favorable climatic conditions. A national meeting, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries, Youcef Cherfa, was held last Saturday to evaluate strategic programs and prepare for this critical campaign. The meeting brought together directors of agricultural services from all 58 provinces (wilayas) to discuss key initiatives and ensure a successful harvest.
The harvest and threshing campaign is set to begin in April in the southern wilayas and in May in the northern regions, with a particular focus on barley harvesting in the High Plateaus. During the meeting, Minister Cherfa emphasized the importance of early preparation, including mobilizing human and material resources, planning for the deployment of harvesters, organizing efficient transportation, and ensuring proper storage facilities.
To strengthen storage capacities, 10 out of 350 planned storage centers have already been completed, with the remaining 312 expected to be operational before the start of the campaign. Additionally, around 30 new silos have been constructed for long-term grain storage. Once fully operational, these facilities will increase Algeria’s national grain storage capacity by over 4 million tons, bringing the total to 9 million tons. This expansion is a crucial step toward enhancing the country’s food security and achieving the goals of the national agricultural strategy.
In parallel, a program to plant 30,000 hectares of grain corn was closely examined during the meeting. The initiative, which will begin in March in the north and in July in the south, includes the provision of equipment, seeds, fertilizers, and machinery. The acquisition of 470 seed drills is planned, with the goal of doubling this number by the 2026 season.
Another key initiative involves the cultivation of oilseed crops across 60,000 hectares, set to launch soon in the north and in July in the south. Approximately 470 seed drills will be acquired for this purpose, with plans to double the number by 2026. These efforts aim to diversify agricultural production and improve Algeria’s self-sufficiency in food supplies.
The meeting also addressed the threat of locusts in the southeastern regions, with Minister Cherfa stressing the need for proactive measures to protect agricultural areas from potential infestations. Locust control remains a significant challenge for Algerian agriculture, and concerted efforts are being made to prevent large-scale invasions.
A major objective of the 2024/2025 campaign is to make 2025 the last year for importing durum wheat and 2026 the final year for barley imports. To achieve these goals, a total agricultural area of 3.069 million hectares has been allocated for cereal cultivation, including 1.069 million hectares for durum wheat and 1.017 million hectares for barley.
The meeting also highlighted the active participation of private companies and public institutions, such as the Strategic Crop Development Company (EPE SPA DCAS) and the Algerian Interprofessional Cereals Office (OAIC), in supporting the agricultural sector. These collaborations are essential to realizing Algeria’s ambitious agricultural targets and ensuring the success of the upcoming harvest season.
With these comprehensive preparations, Algeria is positioning itself to strengthen its agricultural output, reduce dependency on imports, and enhance its food security in the coming years.
