ALGERIA – Algeria’s failure to meet European Union (EU) standards for exporting dairy products has led to a blow in its trade relations as the EU recently banned the sale of Algeria’s El Mordjene Cebon.
The spread, which had skyrocketed in popularity and fetched premium prices in France, often exceeding 10 euros per jar, has now seen its hype dissipate due to the regulatory ban.
The ban has therefore spurred an investigation to uncover how the spread entered European markets despite Algeria’s failure to meet compliance standards.
The EU’s decision to halt imports of the El Mordjene spread highlighted Algeria’s ongoing struggle to align its dairy production processes with the EU’s stringent hygiene, residue, and animal health requirements.
According to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, European Union enforced highly detailed regulations concerning microbial and residue sampling in dairy products.
The regulations ensured the products meet strict Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for agricultural and veterinary chemicals.
The aspect was crucial for maintaining the EU’s food safety standards, which differ significantly from Algerian regulations.
Algeria, by contrast, only imposes standards within those outlined in the Australian Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021, a much less stringent framework compared to the EU.
Consequently, discrepancies in standards such as microbial levels, toxicological limits, and contaminant thresholds frequently cause Algerian products to fail the EU’s rigorous inspection processes.
Algeria’s struggle to penetrate the EU market comes as the nation is striving to reduce its reliance on dairy imports by ramping up domestic production.
In 2023, Algeria was one of North Africa’s largest milk consumers, with annual demand reaching 4.5 million metric tons (MMT), but the country could only produce just over half of this amount, according to a USDA report.
According to a 2022 estimate from the Minister of Agriculture, Abdelhafid Henni, domestic milk production stood at around 2.5 billion liters, leaving a significant gap that had to be filled by imports.
This shortfall has made Algeria one of the world’s leading powdered milk importers, costing the country approximately US$800 million annually.
In 2022, Algeria imported nearly 419,000 metric tons (MT) of milk powder, marking a 17% increase compared to the previous year.
Algeria has traditionally relied on EU suppliers for its dairy imports due to proximity and favorable freight rates.
However, shifting trade dynamics and price fluctuations have seen an emergence of alternative suppliers from New Zealand and Turkey, leading to increased competition in the market.
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