Algeria's banana crisis: military regime obscures its failures

Friday 21 March 2025 - 11:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Algeria's banana crisis: military regime obscures its failures

The Algerian regime has once again demonstrated its arbitrary policies by targeting banana importers to mask the true reasons behind the soaring prices of this fruit in the national market. Rather than taking responsibility for its own mistakes, the current power prefers to penalize merchants, depriving them not only of their shipments but also of their right to operate in the future.

In recent months, the price of bananas in Algeria has skyrocketed, reaching as high as 850 dinars per kilogram, up from 400 dinars previously. This situation is directly linked to the Algerian government's decision to boycott imports from Ecuador, its main supplier. The rationale behind this embargo? Ecuador's recognition of the autonomy plan for Western Sahara and its withdrawal of recognition of the self-proclaimed republic.

Faced with this impasse, Algerian authorities have adopted a punitive strategy against importers. Consequently, 53 merchants specializing in fruit imports have had their operations indefinitely suspended under the pretext of "non-compliance with their commitments to the state." Additionally, 42 containers of bananas have been seized at the port of Annaba, causing a crisis in the availability of the fruit in the local market.

The Algerian Ministry of Commerce has justified this wave of sanctions by claiming that these importers are responsible for the "imbalances in banana supply in the national market" and "the impact on citizens' purchasing power." However, the truth is quite the opposite: it is the regime's irrational diplomatic policies that have led to this situation, depriving Algerians of a widely consumed staple product.

Algerian journalist in exile in France, Abdou Semmar, has denounced the "total failure of the country's economic management," emphasizing that "the consequences of the regime's absurd diplomatic decisions directly impact citizens' daily lives." He recalled that this strategy of retaliation is not unprecedented, as Algeria attempted to pressure Spain after its support for the Moroccan plan, to no avail.

Algeria continues an international isolation policy by sanctioning countries that align with Moroccan positions. After Spain and France, Ecuador has now found itself under the military regime's scrutiny. However, Algeria lacks sufficient leverage to compel these nations, settling for symbolic measures such as halting banana imports.

Ultimately, this policy only exacerbates the country's economic and social crisis, depriving Algerians of access to essential goods and increasing public dissatisfaction with a regime disconnected from the realities on the ground.