Russia is becoming the main supplier of wheat to Algeria, displacing France from the market.

In the agricultural year 2022-2023, Russia may satisfy up to 40% of Algeria's demand for milling wheat by supplying up to 3.5 million tons to this country. This information was provided by Elena Tyurina, the director of the analytics department of the Russian Grain Union (RGU). She also noted that France used to be the main supplier of wheat to the Algerian market, but now Russia holds this position.

According to USDA data, Algeria ranks fifth in the global wheat importers ranking and can purchase 8.2 million tons this season. The shift away from French wheat has led to an increase in demand for Russian wheat, and in the first half of the current agricultural year, Russia exported 1.75 million tons of wheat to Algeria. Therefore, Algeria ranks fifth among wheat importers from Russia. Previously, Russia was in seventh place in the list of wheat suppliers to Algeria, and shipment volumes were unstable.

Additionally, Elena Tyurina pointed out that at the end of last year, Algeria changed its requirements for imported soft wheat from Russia by increasing the level of grain bug damage tolerance. The reduction in requirements for this indicator stimulates the growth of wheat exports from Russia, and in the second half of the current agricultural year, Russia may supply another approximately 2 million tons of wheat to Algeria.

Tension in the relations between Algeria and France arose in October 2021 after statements by French President Emmanuel Macron about a completely rewritten history of Algeria. In response to this, Algeria recalled its ambassador from Paris and closed its airspace to French military aircraft.