Wheat trade between Russia and Algeria is growing. Russian grain trading company Demetra says it recently exported 60,000 tonnes of wheat to Algeria, the largest wheat shipment sent to the country in five years.

According to a Reuters report, the 60,000-tonne consignment reached Algeria in two cargoes in September. Algeria emerged as the world's fifth-largest wheat importer in the 2020-21 marketing season and imports 7 million tonnes of wheat a year. This year its grain production has been hit hard by insufficient rainfall, so it is looking to exporting countries to meet local demand.

Algeria usually buys wheat from France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Argentina. Russia has been able to enter its market after Algeria recently relaxed quality restrictions on wheat imports, and Russian exporters are moving to consolidate their position there.

Russia wants to stay the top wheat exporter in the 2021-22 marketing season, ahead of the European Union. The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service says both have a target of exporting 35 million tonnes of wheat this year.

Citing World-Grain.com.

Source: Bonik Barta. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.