Algeria’s minister for trade, Mustapha Benbada, has announced a reorganisation of the country’s trading infrastructure to meet the requirements of both households and professionals, with a particular focus on fruit and vegetable market, according to Maghreb Emergent.
He said that the plan would create a “distribution system that enables households to find points of purchase that meet their needs, while operators, producers and importers will have a space to engage in free and fair competition regulated and controlled by the state”.
According to Benbada, a historical lack of adequate infrastructure had led to the setting-up of fruit and vegetable markets in the middle of living areas or on wasteland, in unsuitable and dangerous places.
There is now a need, he said, to convert such “informal” markets into “suitable, healthy spots that meet all hygiene and safety requirements”.
Benbada further stated that a project had been launched to modify the regulations governing the setting up and development of such trading areas.
An investment of AD4bn (€40.7m) has reportedly been earmarked for new commercial infrastructure and the redevelopment of existing structures.
The minister also mentioned the creation of Magros, the new organisation responsible for managing the country’s wholesale markets, as well as its subsidiaries, located in Algiers in the centre, Annaba in the east and Oran in the west.
In addition, a programme to rehabilitate 32 wholesale markets is underway, thanks to an investment of AD3.7bn (€37.8m), with nine fruit and vegetable markets having already been completed.
Finally, a sum of AD2.2bn (€22.4m) has been made available for the renovation of covered and local markets, of which 115 out of 235 have already been rehabilitated.
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