ALGIERS: Algeria’s grain imports reached 9.92 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2015, a 7.6 percent rise from a year earlier because of higher soft wheat and barley purchases, official data showed on Wednesday.
Soft wheat imports rose 21 percent to 4.95 million tonnes, while durum wheat purchases fell 20.8 percent to 1.22 million tonnes, according to customs figures.
Barley imports increased 25.8 percent to 611,922 tonnes, while maize purchases rose 1.6 percent to 3.14 million tonnes.
The overall value of grain imports declined 6.05 percent to $2.56 billion in January-September 2015, due to lower prices.
Algeria usually steps up grain purchases to boost stocks when world’s prices go down.
