Recently, the first shipment of Russian grain to Algeria through the Black Sea port since 2016 took place. It was performed by the Viterra Rus company within the framework of a previously signed contract.
Scope of delivery — 28.5 thousand tons.
As the chairman of the Union of Grain Exporters Eduard Zernin noted, the supply became possible thanks to the active participation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Rosselkhoznadzor, which achieved a reduction in the requirements for the supplied products from the Algerian state agency OAIC.
The Russian embassy in Algeria also actively participated in the elaboration of this issue.
In the course of the work, we managed to get the desired result.
Previously, the requirements for wheat imported into Algeria assumed its damage by a bug-turtle at a level of no more than 0.1%.
Now, when the Algerian side raised this indicator to 0.5%, grain supplies from Russia, mainly from the Krasnodar Territory and Siberian regions, became possible.
It is noteworthy that after the requirements were changed, Algeria itself urged Russian companies to more actively participate in the ongoing tenders for the supply of grain.
“The last time Russian wheat was exported to this country was in December 2016. A total of 113 thousand tons of wheat were shipped from Russia to Algeria in 2016/17, ”Zernin said.
Russian wheat becomes a dangerous competitor for European
Algeria is one of the largest grain importers (in the top 10).
He buys wheat a year up to 6 million tons, including 5 million tons of soft wheat and 1 million tons of hard wheat.
And according to the forecasts of American analysts, in a year he can increase the volume of purchases to 7 million a year, which will allow him to take the seventh place in the list of the largest importers.
At the same time, the fact that Russia is starting to supply grain to Algeria cannot but worry exporters from the European Union (Germany, France, as well as Latvia, Lithuania).
This agricultural year (will end on June 30), Russia will not have time to make new supplies — Viterra Rus has carried out the first and only one.
But in the next, their volumes may well grow. And this puts European suppliers at risk.
Moreover, there are complaints about the quality of their products.
Algerian Agriculture Minister Abdelhamid Hemdani noted that France recently sent a shipment of 27 thousand tons of grain, in which the remains of an artiodactyl animal were found.
In the season 2020-2021, which ends in the coming week, Russia exported a total of 39 million tons of wheat abroad.
In general, taking into account the export volumes of wheat and barley, the Russian Federation occupies up to 20% of the international grain market.
