top 10 export categories from Algeria in 2023–2024, based on the most recent data:
🌍 Algeria’s Top 10 Export Categories (2023–2024)
| Rank | Product Category | Value (approx.) | Share / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Mineral Fuels (Oil & Gas) | $52 billion | ~91% of total exports worldbank.org+13worldstopexports.com+13trends.dayfr.com+13 |
| 2️⃣ | Petroleum Gases (LNG, pipeline gas) | $26 billion | ~48% of total exports |
| 3️⃣ | Crude Petroleum Oils | $16 billion | ~28% of exports |
| 4️⃣ | Refined Petroleum Products | $10–11 billion | Includes lubricants, waste oils |
| 5️⃣ | Fertilizers (Nitrogen-based) | $1.34 billion | Major non-hydrocarbon export |
| 6️⃣ | Salt, Sulphur, Stone, Cement | ~$760 million | Construction minerals |
| 7️⃣ | Iron & Steel Products | $1.1 billion | Semi-finished steel, rods |
| 8️⃣ | Inorganic Chemicals | ~$865 million | Includes ammonia, solvents |
| 9️⃣ | Sugar & Sugar Confectionery | ~$188 million | Includes raw & processed sugar |
| 🔟 | Fruits & Nuts (e.g., dates) | ~$133 million | Includes dates, other produce |
🔹 Breakdown by Value
- Mineral fuels (combining oil, gas, refined products) dominate Algeria’s export revenue at ~$104 billion.
- Non-hydrocarbon exports total around $5–$6 billion, led by:
- Fertilizers (~$1.3 b)
- Chemicals (~$0.9 b)
- Steel (~$1.1 b)
- Construction minerals (~$0.8 b)
🔹 Updates for 2024 (Jan–Jul)
- Mineral fuels remain dominant:
- Petroleum gases: $6.4 b
- Crude: $5.3 b
- Refined oil products: $3.4 b en.wikipedia.org+15gti.sinoimex.com+15worldstopexports.com+15fr.wikipedia.org+4worldbank.org+4rus-alg.com+4skyminder.com+1rus-alg.com+1
- LNG exports (2024 total): 11.62 million tonnes, down 14% year‑on‑year due to maintenance and weaker EU demand; primary buyers include Turkey, France, Spain, Italy, UK trends.dayfr.com+1elikhbaria.dz+1.
🔮 Outlook & Commentary
Algeria’s economy remains highly dependent on fossil fuels. Recent efforts to diversify exports have made some progress:
- Fertilizer production is growing
- Expansion in steel, chemicals, and agrifood exports
- Government partners with the World Bank to boost non‑hydrocarbon exports, improve port systems, and implement industrial reforms apnews.com+5worldbank.org+5tradeclub.standardbank.com+5
However, hydrocarbons still dominate, accounting for ~90% of export value—a trend that persists in 2024.
🛢️ 1. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
- Export Volume: About 11.62 million tonnes in 2024, a 14% decline from the 13.5 million tonnes exported in 2023, driven by maintenance work at Arzew and lower European demand oec.world+12trends.dayfr.com+12mees.com+12.
- Global Ranking: Algeria remains a top LNG exporter and ranks 7th worldwide, with capacity near 25.5 million t/year embmoscow.mfa.gov.dz+1spglobal.com+1.
- Primary Destinations:
- Turkey: ~4.05 Mt
- France: ~3.26 Mt
- Spain: ~1.66 Mt
- Italy: ~1.39 Mt
- UK: ~0.39 Mt mees.com+8trends.dayfr.com+8oec.world+8.
🌐 2. Pipeline Natural Gas
- Export Volume: Approximately 34 billion m³ of pipeline gas in 2023/2024, making Algeria the largest pipeline gas supplier to Spain and Italy, accounting for 19–20% of EU pipeline imports fitchsolutions.com+1spglobal.com+1.
- Export Destinations: Major pipelines include TransMed, Medgaz, and Maghreb-Europe, directly supplying Italy and Spain, with smaller flows to France and others en.wikipedia.org+2spglobal.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2.
🚗 3. Crude Oil & Refined Petroleum
- Crude Oil Exports:
- Algeria exported around 778,000 b/d of crude oil in 2024—410,000 b/d as crude and 368,000 b/d as petroleum products.
- This represents a 7% rise from 2023 levels embmoscow.mfa.gov.dz+15algeriainvest.com+15mees.com+15fitchsolutions.com.
- Top Oil Buyers (2024):
- South Korea: 120,000 b/d
- France: 103,000 b/d
- USA: 71,000 b/d
- Spain: 66,000 b/d
- Italy: 62,000 b/d algeriainvest.com.
⚠️ 4. 2024 Trends & Challenges
- Overall Gas Export Decline: Combined LNG and pipeline exports fell ~6.6% to 48.7 bcm in 2024, the lowest level since 2020 fitchsolutions.com+2mees.com+2mees.com+2.
- LNG Declines: A 14% drop in LNG export volumes to 11.62 Mt en.wikipedia.org+9trends.dayfr.com+9mees.com+9.
- Infrastructure Issues: Maintenance at Arzew and underutilization at Medgaz led to reduced capacity utilization en.wikipedia.org+9spglobal.com+9dzair-tube.dz+9.
🧩 5. Strategic Context
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Global Standing | Algeria holds the 7th spot in both global LNG capacity and exports en.wikipedia.org+5embmoscow.mfa.gov.dz+5en.wikipedia.org+5 |
| Key Role for Europe | Supplies ~19–20% of EU pipeline gas, making it Italy and Spain’s top supplier |
| Diversification in Progress | Sonatrach expanding LNG infrastructure at Skikda; exploring renewable energy projects |
✅ Summary
- LNG: 11.6 Mt (–14%) — a top-10 global exporter
- Pipeline Gas: 34 bcm — largest supplier to Italy and Spain
- Crude & Refined Oil: ~778,000 b/d
- Challenges: Declines due to maintenance, falling European demand, and rising domestic consumption
🛢️ LNG Export Overview
- Total Volume: 11.62 million tonnes in 2024 (–14% vs. 2023’s ~13.5 Mt) wsj.com+13trends.dayfr.com+13mees.com+13
- Decline mainly due to maintenance at Arzew and reduced European demand spglobal.com+3trends.dayfr.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3.
- Global Capacity: Algeria ranks 7th globally, with 25.5 Mt/year of LNG export capacity en.wikipedia.org+15embmoscow.mfa.gov.dz+15euro.dayfr.com+15.
🌍 Top Export Destinations
| Destination | Volume (2024) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ~4.05 Mt | Major customer |
| France | ~3.26 Mt | Key European partner |
| Spain | ~1.66 Mt | Strong dependency |
| Italy | ~1.39 Mt | Notable purchaser |
| United Kingdom | ~0.39 Mt | Smaller but steady importer |
| Others | ~0.86 Mt | Includes Croatia, Netherlands, Thailand, Bangladesh |
📉 Market Trends & Context
- European Decline: 2024 saw a drop in Mediterranean LNG imports—to 46.7 Mt—due to strong renewables and gas pipeline capacity, dampening LNG interest spglobal.com+11hellenicshippingnews.com+11spglobal.com+11.
- Spot Price Influence: Lower European LNG spot prices earlier in 2024 helped support Algerian sales via FOB tenders .
🔮 Outlook for 2025
- Europe may increase reliance on Algerian LNG to offset reduced Russian pipeline volumes through Ukraine trends.dayfr.com.
- However, record pipeline maintenance and lower demand created export limitations—if these ease, LNG volumes could rebound .
✅ Summary
- 🔹 Export Drop: –14% in LNG volume, totaling 11.6 Mt.
- 🔹 Global Role: 7th largest LNG exporter.
- 🔹 Main Markets: Turkey, France, Spain, Italy, UK.
- 🔹 Driving Factors: Infrastructure maintenance + subdued demand; moderate pricing helped some export flows.
🌍 Algeria’s Petroleum Gas Exports (LNG + Pipeline)
1. Total Gas Exports
- 2024 Volume: About 49 billion m³ of natural gas exported
- Pipeline Gas: ~35 billion m³
- LNG: ~14.5 billion m³, down ~14% from 2023 (~17 bcm) embmoscow.mfa.gov.dz+15realinstitutoelcano.org+15al24news.dz+15.
2. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
- 2024 Volume: 14.5 bcm (~11.6 million tonnes)
- Global Rank: 7th largest LNG exporter spglobal.com+4al24news.dz+4dzair-tube.dz+4
- Main LNG Buyers:
- Turkey (~4.05 Mt)
- France (~3.26 Mt)
- Spain (~1.66 Mt)
- Italy (~1.39 Mt)
- United Kingdom (~0.39 Mt); plus minor volumes to Croatia, Netherlands, Thailand, Bangladesh (~0.86 Mt) en.wikipedia.org+15trends.dayfr.com+15al24news.dz+15
3. Pipeline Gas
- Pipeline Export Volume: ~35 bcm in 2024 algerianewsgate.com+3realinstitutoelcano.org+3fitchsolutions.com+3
- Europe Supplier Ranking:
- 2nd largest EU pipeline supplier after Norway (~19% of EU import share) en.wikipedia.org+15spglobal.com+15reddit.com+15
- Key Pipelines & Volumes:
- TransMed (Algeria → Italy): ~21 bcm in 2023; around 21 bcm in 2024 en.wikipedia.org+15realinstitutoelcano.org+15spglobal.com+15
- Medgaz (Algeria → Spain): ~9.4 bcm in 2024 via direct submarine pipeline en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2fr.wikipedia.org+2
- Maghreb–Europe (via Morocco): Ceased operation in 2021; flows now routed via Medgaz and TransMed en.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1
4. Recent Trends & Drivers
- LNG Decline (~14%) was driven by:
- Arzew maintenance
- Lower European demand
- Shift to pipeline flows al24news.dz+11spglobal.com+11dzair-tube.dz+11en.wikipedia.org+15realinstitutoelcano.org+15trends.dayfr.com+15
- Pipeline Uptake:
- Medgaz saw record utilization despite maintenance
- TransMed flows to Italy declined due to lower Italian demand (~21 bcm vs capacity 33 bcm) reddit.com+15realinstitutoelcano.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15
- Strategic Role:
- By late 2024, Algeria became Spain’s top importer (≈38% of its gas consumption via pipeline + LNG)
- Reinforced position as EU’s second-largest pipeline gas supplier (~19% share) fitchsolutions.com+2spglobal.com+2algerianewsgate.com+2
5. Outlook
- 2025 Potential:
- European needs may shift more toward Algerian gas to offset reduced Russian pipeline supply
- Challenges Ahead:
- Domestic consumption is growing (projected from ~52 bcm to ~57 bcm by 2033) fitchsolutions.com
- Pipeline infrastructure aging (e.g. TransMed/Medgaz) limits potential growth, though new LNG capacity at Skikda may aid diversification spglobal.com+1dzair-tube.dz+1
✅ Summary Snapshot
- Combined Gas Exports: ~49 bcm (35 bcm pipeline + 14.5 bcm LNG)
- LNG: ~11.6 million tonnes; 7th largest globally
- Pipeline Gas: Europe’s #2 supplier; key pipelines TransMed (>21 bcm) & Medgaz (~9.4 bcm)
- Europe’s Top Markets: Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, UK
Crude Petroleum Oils
🛢️ Production & Export Volumes
- Average Export Rate:
Algeria exported approximately 778,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2024—a 7% increase from 729,000 b/d in 2023 spglobal.com+14algeriainvest.com+14reddit.com+14.- Of this, ~410,000 b/d was exported as crude oil, while the remaining ~368,000 b/d comprised refined petroleum products .
- Total Annual Production:
Around 907,000 b/d in 2024, down from 973,000 b/d in 2023, indicating compliance with OPEC+ output controls tradingeconomics.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15opec.org+4spglobal.com+4algeriainvest.com+4.
🌍 Top Importers
In 2024, Algeria’s seaborne crude oil exports primarily went to:
- South Korea: ~120,000 b/d
- France: ~103,000 b/d
- United States: ~71,000 b/d
- Spain: ~66,000 b/d
- Italy: ~62,000 b/d
- Other notable buyers include the Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Portugal, and the UK (~60k–38k b/d each) reddit.com+9algeriainvest.com+9ceicdata.com+9.
⚙️ Product Type & Quality
- Sahara Blend: Algeria’s flagship crude is a light, sweet grade with API ~45° and very low sulfur (0.05%), making it highly desirable for refining into gasoline and kerosene. It serves as a benchmark in oil markets en.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
🏭 Industry & Infrastructure
- Major Fields:
- Hassi Messaoud (~350,000 b/d capacity) and Hassi R’Mel (~180,000 b/d) are key production hubs, both managed by Sonatrach opec.org+6en.wikipedia.org+6en.wikipedia.org+6.
- Refining Capacity:
- Algeria’s refining infrastructure processes a significant portion of crude; exports of petroleum products (~368,000 b/d) reflect domestic refining capability—Skikda refinery alone handles up to 355,000 b/d spglobal.com+2energynews.africa+2algeriainvest.com+2.
📉 2024 Context & Trends
- OPEC+ Cuts: Strict compliance with OPEC+ voluntary production reductions has shaped Algeria’s export output. Production dipped from ~973,000 b/d to ~907,000 b/d spglobal.com+1algeriainvest.com+1.
- Port Handling: Q1 2024 crude shipments through Bejaia port dropped nearly 15% YoY—from 601,000 tonnes to 512,000 tonnes countryeconomy.com+3portseurope.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3.
✅ Quick Summary
| Metric | 2024 Value |
|---|---|
| Crude Export Rate | ~410,000 b/d |
| Total Oil Exports | ~778,000 b/d (crude + products) |
| Production Rate | ~907,000 b/d |
| Top Buyers | South Korea, France, USA, Spain, Italy |
| Oil Type | Light sweet “Sahara Blend” |
| Key Fields & Refinery | Hassi Messaoud, Skikda refinery |
| OPEC+ Status | Volume cut by ~66,000 b/d |
🛢️ Export Volume & Value (Early 2024)
- Q1 2024 Export Value:
- USD 2.418 billion in March 2024
- Up from USD 2.301 billion in December 2023 ceicdata.com+9ceicdata.com+9ceicdata.com+9reddit.com+4gti.sinoimex.com+4reddit.com+4
- Typical quarterly average: ~USD 2.10 billion since 2007
- Annual Price Levels:
- In 2023, Algerian refined petroleum export price averaged USD 313.50/barrel, a significant surge from USD 97.40/barrel in 2022 worldbank.org+13ceicdata.com+13algeriainvest.com+13
- Q1 2024 average export price was USD 81.50/barrel
- Monthly Volume (Q1 2024):
- Exported about 29.7 million barrels (~3.8 million tons) of refined petroleum elibrary.imf.org+10ceicdata.com+10ceicdata.com+10
📊 Export Ranking & Share
- As of July 2024, “petroleum oils, etc., not crude” rank as the third-largest export by value:
- USD 6.45 billion year-to-date
- Behind crude oil (USD 5.28 bn) and petroleum gases (USD 6.40 bn) reddit.com+2wits.worldbank.org+2gti.sinoimex.com+2gti.sinoimex.com
- In total dollar terms, refined petroleum products export worth is estimated at USD ~5.8–6.2 billion annually
🚚 Export Destinations
Major buyers include:
- Italy, Spain, and France:
- These European markets import both crude and refined products, benefiting from Algeria’s proximity and trade agreements eia.gov+2gti.sinoimex.com+2eastanalytics.com+2eastanalytics.com
- Other customers:
- Exports also reach markets in North Africa and possibly Asia, via Mediterranean shipping routes
🔍 Context & Trends
- Export Strategy Shift:
- Algeria has increasingly leveraged its large refining capacity (e.g., Skikda, Arzew) to add value and export finished petroleum goods eastanalytics.com+8algeriainvest.com+8worldbank.org+8
- Price Sensitivity:
- Refined product prices have fluctuated significantly, peaking at USD 313/barrel in 2023, then settling around USD 81/barrel in early 2024
- Economic Diversification Efforts:
- While hydrocarbons still account for ~89% of exports, Algeria is actively boosting non-hydrocarbon sectors, though refined fuels remain a key export pillar worldbank.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1
✅ Summary
- Q1 2024 Exports: ~USD 2.42 bn
- Annual Export Value: ~USD 5.8–6.2 bn
- Volume: ~110 million barrels per year (~30 million barrels Q1)
- Price: ~USD 80/barrel in early 2024 (peaked ~USD 313 in 2023)
- Key Markets: Italy, Spain, France + regional buyers
- Strategic Role: Refined products are Algeria’s third-largest export, reflecting national policy to enhance value-added hydrocarbons exports
Refined Petroleum Products
In 2024, refined petroleum products were one of Algeria’s top exports, playing a significant role in the country’s economy. Here’s a breakdown:
🛢️ Key Figures for Refined Petroleum Exports – Algeria (2024)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Export Value (Q1 2024) | ~$2.42 billion (March 2024) |
| Total Annual Value (Est.) | ~$6–6.5 billion USD |
| Export Volume (Q1 2024) | ~29.7 million barrels (~3.8 million tonnes) |
| Average Price (Q1 2024) | $81.50 per barrel |
| 2023 Price (for comparison) | Peaked at $313.50/barrel |
| Ranking Among Exports | 3rd largest, after petroleum gases and crude oil |
🌍 Main Export Destinations
Algeria’s refined petroleum products go mostly to nearby and European countries, including:
- Italy
- Spain
- France
- Other EU nations
- North Africa (e.g., Tunisia)
⚙️ Production & Infrastructure
- Major refining hubs:
- Skikda Refinery (largest in Algeria)
- Arzew Refinery
- Hassi Messaoud
- Algeria has expanded refining capacity to export more value-added products rather than crude.
📈 Trends and Strategy
- Algeria is focusing on downstream development to:
- Increase foreign currency revenue
- Reduce dependence on crude exports
- Meet domestic fuel demand while exporting surplus refined fuels
- Part of a broader effort to diversify the hydrocarbon economy
Fertilizers (Nitrogen-based)
🧪 1. Export Volume & Value (2023 Data)
- Total Export Value: Around USD 1.34 billion in 2023 wits.worldbank.org+14oec.world+14algeriainvest.com+14
- Volume: Major shipments to countries like Brazil (US $289 M), the U.S. ($242 M), Canada ($123 M), France ($123 M), and India ($98 M) oec.world
Algeria is a significant global exporter, though still far behind leaders like Russia, China, and Oman in volume .
🔄 2. Exported Products
- Covers various nitrogenous fertilizers—including urea, ammonia-based mixes, and others.
- Urea shipments, for example, include large exports to Ukraine (~22,000 tons for ~$13 M) in early 2023 nationmaster.com+6volza.com+6volza.com+6.
🌍 3. Major Destinations (2023)
| Country | Export Value |
|---|---|
| Brazil | $289 M |
| U.S. | $242 M |
| Canada | $123 M |
| France | $123 M |
| India | $98 M |
These five markets accounted for more than half of Algeria’s nitrogenous fertilizer exports reddit.com+15oec.world+15nationmaster.com+15.
📈 4. Trends & Export Significance
- Net Trade: Algeria had a positive trade balance for nitrogenous fertilizers (~$1.33 B) reddit.com+2oec.world+2reddit.com+2.
- Production Capacity: In 2019, Algeria produced over 1.14 million tons of nitrogenous fertilizers .
- Main Producer: State-owned Asmidal—a key fertilizer and chemical entity—produces urea, ammonia, and is expanding its production portfolio en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2algeriainvest.com+2.
🤝 5. Context & Future Outlook
- Algeria exports significantly more nitrogen fertilizers (>$1.3 B) than it imports (~$10–45 M) reddit.com+15oec.world+15nationmaster.com+15.
- Domestic focus: Production geared toward export, leveraging abundant natural gas (for ammonia) and national chemical infrastructure.
- Expansion potential: Ongoing industrial policy may boost production and diversification, but most exports still go to the Americas and Europe.
✅ Summary
- 2023 exports: ≈ USD 1.34 B in nitrogen fertilizers
- Export focus: Brazil, U.S., Canada, France, India
- Export vs Import: Strong net exporter
- Production: >1 Mt/year via Asmidal
Salt, Sulphur, Stone, Cement
🧂 Salt & Sulphur
Algeria is a net exporter of salt, with export price averaging $77/ton in 2024. It doesn’t import significant quantities, and sulfur isn’t a major export—most sulfur activity is in chemical production rather than bulk export algeriainvest.com+11indexbox.io+11tradingeconomics.com+11.
🧱 Cement & Clinker
- Export Value (2023):
- Cement: ~$517 million reddit.com+5oec.world+5tradingeconomics.com+5algeriainvest.com
- Cement + clinker combined: $747 million tradingeconomics.com+5themaghrebtimes.com+5algeriainvest.com+5
- Overall construction materials exports: $1.2 billion themaghrebtimes.com+1reddit.com+1
- Export Growth:
- Cement exports soared from under $60 million in 2019 to $747 million in 2023 oec.world+5themaghrebtimes.com+5algeriainvest.com+5.
- Cement shipments to the U.S. began in 2024 (~46,000 tons) as part of diversification efforts .
- Top Destinations (2023):
- 🇺🇸 United States – $76.3 M
- 🇫🇷 France – $68.1 M
- 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire – $58.3 M
- 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic – $51.9 M
- 🇲🇷 Mauritania – $44.3 M oec.world.
- Capacity & Industry:
- 18 cement plants producing ~39 Mt/year, exceeding domestic needs (~21 Mt) themaghrebtimes.com+1algeriainvest.com+1.
- Algeria is the second-largest clinker exporter globally, after Vietnam, and is investing in clinker grinders in Africa to utilize surplus production (20 Mt/year) cemnet.com+4dzair-tube.dz+4themaghrebtimes.com+4.
- Private Sector Activity:
- Holcim Algeria (formerly Lafarge) exported 3.4 Mt of cement/clinker in 2023—40% as cement—with a 7% export volume growth and 17% revenue increase cemnet.com.
🪨 Other Earth Materials (Plaster, Lime, Stone)
- These categories contribute to exports but at modest values, typically under a few million USD per item—such as natural earths, lime, gravel, and gypsum in small quantities to markets like France and via China trade links .
✅ Summary
- Cement & clinker dominate this HS‑25 export category (~$747 M in 2023)
- Salt is actively exported (~$77/ton; net exporter)
- Other items (sulphur, lime, gypsum, stone) make up smaller but steady niche exports
- Surplus production is channeled mainly to Africa, Europe, and North America, backed by high capacity and expanding infrastructure
Iron & Steel Products
🏭 Algerian-Qatari Steel (AQS): A Major Non-Hydrocarbon Exporter
- Export Volume: Produced over 2 million tonnes, with ~700,000 tonnes exported in 2024—roughly 34% of output reddit.com+15news.mesteel.com+15oreaco.com+15.
- Export Value: Generated around USD 360 million, reaching export markets in 36 countries news.mesteel.com.
- Quality Impact: Bordering on international standards, AQS won the title of “Best Algerian Exporter to Africa” in 2024 dzair-tube.dz+7aisusteel.org+7oreaco.com+7.
- Production Goals: Plans are in place to expand capacity to 4 million tonnes/year, with exports climbing to 2.7 million tonnes by 2028 yieh.com+3news.mesteel.com+3algeriainvest.com+3.
🌐 Other Key Players & Export Trends
- Tosyali Algeria (Turkish-Algerian joint venture in Oran) is ramping up:
- Exported 800,000 tonnes over Jan–Sep 2022 (~USD 800 million in value) steelradar.com+15dzair-tube.dz+15steelradar.com+15.
- Recently shipped 150,000 tonnes of rebar to Spain and parts of the U.S. reddit.com.
- Targeting $2 billion in annual exports with expanded rousts and product lines dzair-tube.dz.
📊 Overview of 2024 Iron & Steel Exports
| Company | 2024 Export Volume | Export Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQS | ~700,000 tonnes | ~USD 360 million | 34% of output; quality-recognized globally |
| Tosyali Algeria | Not yet 2024 data | — | Large 2022 volumes; expanding production |
- Combined, these companies signal a growing non-hydrocarbon export sector, moving Algeria toward being a regional steel exporter.
- Compared to earlier years (e.g., 2022 data from Tosyali), 2024 saw similar volumes, suggesting steady growth and diversification.
⚙️ Strategic Context
- Capacity Growth: AQS is expanding DRI, EAF, and rolling mill facilities in its Bellara plant—aiming for 4 million tonnes/year by 2028 aisusteel.org+3oreaco.com+3steelradar.com+3reddit.comdzair-tube.dz+4news.mesteel.com+4oreaco.com+4.
- Supplier Network: Tosyali relies on local iron ore (including from developments like the Gâra Djebilet and El Hadjar complex) plus Turkish-French collaborations oreaco.com+14en.wikipedia.org+14dzair-tube.dz+14.
- Job Creation & Export Diversity: The sector supports industrial diversification goals, creating jobs, reducing hydrocarbon reliance, and accessing European and U.S. markets.
✅ Summary
Algeria’s 2024 iron & steel exports, led by major firms like AQS and Tosyali, show strong momentum:
- ~700,000 tonnes exported by AQS, valued at USD 360 million
- Tosyali aiming for $2 billion export revenue
- National push to expand capacity and diversify exports beyond oil and gas
Inorganic Chemicals
🧪 Inorganic Chemicals – Key Insights
💵 Export Value
- No recent HS 28 annual export data available post-2009; however, chemicals (including inorganic and petrochemicals) are a major non‑hydrocarbon export, making up ~3% of Algeria’s EU exports in 2017 tradingeconomics.com+12trendeconomy.com+12data.un.org+12.
- In 2022, “other chemicals products” landed at 1.16 billion DZD (~USD 8.3 million) ceicdata.com.
📦 Product Composition
- HS 28 covers inorganic substances such as:
- Sulfuric and hydrochloric acids
- Ammonia and its compounds
- Metallic oxides, sulfates, chlorides
- Distilled water, compressed gases, amalgams (non-precious) tradingeconomics.com+6trendeconomy.com+6data.un.org+6.
- Companies like Asmidal produce sulphuric acid, ammonia, and other inorganic chemicals en.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
🌍 Key Destinations
- Exports likely target European countries, especially France, due to Algeria’s trade ties and geographic proximity .
- Other typical imports from India, such as silicates and chlorides, hint at both export and import flows in inorganic chemicals ceicdata.com+7tradingeconomics.com+7marketpublishers.com+7.
📈 Trends & Outlook
- Algeria’s industrial strategy—a WTO-aligned diversification plan—includes boosting its chemical sector, aiming for new national chemical champions like the proposed JWK entity reddit.com.
- Growing domestic production capacity in acids and inorganic compounds positions Algeria to increase chemical exports, though infrastructure challenges and data transparency remain.
⚠️ Summary
- Export scale may be in the hundreds of millions USD annually, growing from older estimates.
- Core products: acids (sulphuric, hydrochloric), ammonia-based fertilizer intermediates, metallic salts, water/gas industrial intermediates.
- Main markets: Europe via EU trade channels; expanding ties expected through trade diversification efforts.
- Growth potential: strong, as included in the government’s chemical industry diversification roadmap.
Sugar & Sugar Confectionery
🍭 Sugar & Sugar Confectionery – Exports Overview
📦 Export Volumes & Value
- Cane or Beet Sugar exports to the EU totaled approximately USD 16.2 million in 2022 researchandmarkets.com+14tradingeconomics.com+14tradingeconomics.com+14.
- Molasses shipments were about USD 1.5 million in that same year .
- Sugar confectionery (non‑cocoa)—mostly items like white chocolate and boiled sweets—accounted for roughly $103 K in 2022 dnb.com+10indexbox.io+10tradingeconomics.com+10.
🍫 Chocolate & Broader Confectionery
- Algeria exported 683 tonnes of chocolate and confectionery in 2023, valued at around USD 3.5 million indexbox.io.
- Top recipient countries included the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Tunisia, Libya, and Cameroon tradingeconomics.com+2indexbox.io+2indexbox.io+2.
🎯 Top Markets
- The EU (notably France, UK, Germany, Spain) is a key export region for Algerian sugar and sweets indexbox.io+15tradingeconomics.com+15researchandmarkets.com+15.
- Some exports also reach North African and Middle Eastern markets (e.g. Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, UAE) .
📈 Market Trends
- Sugar confectionery exports declined by ~30% in 2022 compared to the previous year tradingeconomics.com+4indexbox.io+4indexbox.io+4.
- In contrast, chocolate and confectionery exports rebounded by ~14% in 2023, reaching $3.5 million indexbox.io+4indexbox.io+4reddit.com+4.
🛍️ Domestic Production
- Algeria hosts over 1,300 sugar and confectionery manufacturers, including major firms like Cevital (leading the industry) and regional refiners such as Grande Raffinerie Oranaise dnb.com.
- Popular local brands (e.g. Bimo, Moment) highlight a strong domestic sweet-tooth culture, albeit often criticized online for excessive sweetness reddit.com+1reddit.com+1.
✅ Summary
Algeria primarily exports:
- Raw sugar (~$16 M to EU)
- Molasses (~$1.5 M)
- Sugar confectionery (~$0.1 M)
- Chocolate & confections (~$3.5 M globally)
Exports are modest compared to hydrocarbons but underscore the country’s diversified trade profile, especially within EU and regional markets.
Fruits & Nuts (e.g., dates)
🍇 Overview of “Fruits, Nuts, Fruit Peels” Exports
- Total Export Value (2023): USD 135 million aps.dz+8oec.world+8indexbox.io+8
- Export Destinations:
- Morocco: USD 43.6 M
- France: USD 37 M
- United States: USD 9.5 M
- Niger: USD 7.0 M
- Mauritania: USD 6.3 M en.wikipedia.org+3oec.world+3en.wikipedia.org+3
- For comparison, Algeria’s edible-fruits imports reached USD 327 M in the same year, making its net trade negative in this category selinawamucii.com+10oec.world+10worldstopexports.com+10.
🌴 Key Product: Dates
- Algeria produces about 1.24 million tonnes of dates annually, ranking 3rd globally indexbox.io+6elikhbaria.dz+6en.wikipedia.org+6.
- Efforts have been made to export to ~150 countries, aiming to reach USD 250 million by late 2024 aps.dz+2aps.dz+2ambalgzagreb.com+2.
- The famed Deglet Nour variety, grown in Tolga, is Algeria’s flagship export date aps.dz+15elikhbaria.dz+15en.wikipedia.org+15.
📉 Exports vs Imports Insight
- Vietnam and Turkey still lead shipments into Algeria:
- Thailand: USD 547 K
- Turkey: USD 534 K
- Notably, fresh/nuts imports reflect demand for processed produce en.wikipedia.org+13wits.worldbank.org+13reddit.com+13.
- Meanwhile, Algerian fruits reach export destinations in Africa, Europe, and the US .
✅ Summary
- Category: Fruits, nuts, fruit-peel (HS 2006)
- Export Value (2023): USD 135 M
- Main Markets: Morocco, France, US, Niger, Mauritania
- Flagship Product: Dates (notably Deglet Nour) with global growth ambitions
⚠️ Note: While production is robust, export earnings (~USD 135 M) are modest in comparison to ambitions (~USD 250 M). This suggests that dates (via HS 0804) drive most value within the category.
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