Algerian President: The door is open for a modern agriculture aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in many strategic crops
ALGIERS – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune affirmed that Algeria has the capacity to achieve self-sufficiency in many strategic sectors, adding that the country is determined to establish agriculture as a genuine economic activity, after it had long been viewed through a social lens.
He added that the door is now open for a modern national agriculture based on science and technology, capable of meeting the country’s needs and also aimed at exporting the surplus.
During the periodic media interview broadcast on Friday evening on national television and radio channels, President Tebboune said that Algeria is making “steady and significant strides” toward achieving self-sufficiency in several key sectors, particularly wheat production. He noted that this progress is being driven by national projects as well as innovative initiatives in partnership with Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other countries.
In this context, he affirmed his commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in durum wheat, highlighting that preliminary data suggest this goal will be reached by the end of the data collection for the most recent harvest and threshing season, especially that the state has provided all necessary resources to farmers, although some of them have not fully complied with the obligation to deliver their entire yield to the state.
In this regard, the Algerian President pointed out that he has instructed the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries to conduct a comprehensive survey to ensure that wheat is not sold in parallel markets, emphasizing that obtaining the final results of the harvest and threshing season requires some time, given the vast and widespread nature of the cultivated areas.
The Algerian President also highlighted the importance of the “Baladna” project with the Qatari partner for producing milk powder, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2028. The project aims to meet the high domestic demand for milk and reduce reliance on imports. He also praised the project’s benefits in terms of job creation, cattle farming, and opening the door for similar large-scale projects with Italy and Saudi Arabia.
In response to a question about Algeria launching a fund to finance startups and innovative youth in Africa, at the conclusion of the fourth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (September 4-10, 2025), the President said this initiative reflects Algeria’s leading role on the African continent.
He noted that some African countries lack the necessary resources to support their youth, and Algeria does not want to deprive the continent of the capabilities it possesses in terms of training and wealth creation. He added, “We are supporting 30 startups, and this does not cost us much.”
Inflation Control to Boost Dinar Value
When addressing the issue of import regulation, the President indicated that work is underway to create a balance between imports and local production in order to meet the national needs for various products. He pointed out that there are no austerity measures, and that imports are necessary to cover the needs that local production does not fulfill.
“This balance is not easy, as it requires a precise level of digitization, and we hope to achieve that by the end of the year, because the only way to protect the country is through digitization,” he said.
Regarding the measures aimed at strengthening the value of the Algerian dinar, the President emphasized the importance of controlling inflation and prices to enhance the national currency’s value, “along with eliminating the parasitic dinar, thereby increasing the value of the real dinar.”
The Algerian President also touched on the importance of expanding electronic payments, which still faces “fierce” resistance. He emphasized that hoarding money outside banks and official channels is one of the reasons behind rising prices, which has affected the middle class. He confirmed that efforts are underway to eliminate this phenomenon, as well as the issue of false declarations by notaries in sales and purchase transactions.
He also pointed out that there is no delay in encouraging the use of written payment methods such as checks, highlighting that imposing new rules instead of cash payments—especially in real estate transactions—requires waging a “political battle. It’s do or die. We either become a state, or we let gangs run the country.”
The Algerian president stressed that false statements, particularly about property values, call for “harsh penalties” to eliminate such behavior — a measure the state is enforcing.
