Algeria potato market instability and price regulation

Algerian authorities have intervened in the potato market to address shortages and price violations. In Boumerdès, commerce officials seized over 3,500 kilograms of potatoes after traders allegedly refused to comply with a government price cap of 90 dinars per kilogram. To combat scarcity, the government initiated destocking operations across several provinces to release stored supplies.

As the situation progressed, market instability intensified. Despite high domestic production, retail prices in some areas reportedly reached 150 to 180 dinars, more than double the official ceiling. This has resulted in long queues of citizens and allegations that wholesalers are withholding stock to avoid narrow profit margins.

In response to these disruptions, Prime Minister Saifi Gharib held an emergency ministerial meeting to address the scarcity of potatoes and cooking oil. The government has since launched a digital monitoring platform and increased inspections of wholesale and retail markets to prevent price manipulation.

The crisis has expanded to impact the restaurant industry. In coastal cities like Béjaïa, many fast-food and traditional restaurants have reportedly been forced to remove fries from their menus due to the scarcity and high cost of both potatoes and oil, leading to revenue losses for food service professionals. To stabilize the market, authorities have begun releasing national stocks from cold storage with a target of supplying 7,000 tonnes weekly. Monder Bouden, Secretary General of the RND, stated that the situation is expected to improve within approximately 15 days as the harvest from El Oued and Oued Souf arrives.