Algeria’s push for local seeds and export growth
In a bid to trim Algeria’s import bill and tighten its grip on food security, Agriculture Minister Yacine El-Mahdi Oualid unveiled a roadmap to gradually phase out seed and plant imports, particularly in vegetable crops.
Speaking during a field visit to Blida, the minister outlined a strategy built on local seed production, technology transfer and research-driven farming. A new seed production hub is in the works between Ghardaïa and El Menia, with an eye not only on import substitution but also on export competitiveness.
The shift is designed to lower input costs, boost yields and improve margins through modern irrigation, advanced fertilization and intensive farming techniques. At the Vitroplant nursery in Beni Tamou producing nearly 15 million seedlings annually the model is already taking shape, covering domestic demand and moving into export markets.
The visit also included a large-scale grain silo project in El Affroun, with a storage capacity of one million quintals, set to come online by year’s end a key step in strengthening the country’s agricultural supply chain.
The message from Blida was clear: cut dependency, invest in technology and turn agriculture into a driver of growth rather than a drain on foreign currency.