Since the introduction almost two months ago of a new potato management system by the Algerian ministry of agriculture and development, more than 120,000 tonnes of potatoes have been amassed and kept in coldstorage, according to French monthly Végétable.
The ministry’s head of communication systems, Idir Bayes, revealed that the system was designed to guarantee a steady market supply of potatoes and therefore protect farmers’ incomes, as well as consumers’ purchasing power.
The goal of the new system is clearly to avoid a repeat of last year’s scenario, which saw farmers selling at a loss due to surplus production. According to Végétable, surplus potatoes will either be shipped to areas where there is a shortage or exported.
