early potatoes

Algeria is ready to begin exports of potatoes, the country's minister of agriculture and rural development, Rachid Benaïssa, announced on national radio.

The minister said that his department would offer assistance to certain operators to commence exports this year, according to El-annabi.com.

Mr Benaïssa stated that Algeria had even experienced overproduction in some regions and at certain times throughout the country.

Last year, he said, there had been interest in Algerian potatoes from companies in the Netherlands and the UK, but Algerian operators had been unable to meet their packaging needs.

This year, according to Mr Benaïssa, these operators had become better organised and were able to respect the international norms for exports.