ALGERIA: Algeria’s milk imports bill dropped by over 45% last year. The country’s milk import bill dropped by over 45% in the first 11 months of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, while the imported quantities decreased by 5%, according to the National Centre of Data Processing and Statistics (CNIS).
The cost of importing milk powder, milk cream and milk fat in 2015 was almost US $1.01bn, down from $1.84bn in the year previous. The volume of imported milk products dropped from 370, 602t in 2014 to 351,700t in 2015. The sharp drop in the cost of imports was driven by lower world prices for milk powders.
The sharp decline in Algeria’s milk imports bill can be reflected in Ireland’s dairy exports to the country over the past few years. Dairy products and birds’ eggs are Algeria’s main imports from Ireland.
The value of dairy products exported to Algeria in 2013 was over €47m, according to the latest figures from the Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce. In 2012 it was valued at over €48m, and in 2011 it was valued at over €57m, reflecting a downward trend.
