Rice · importers
Algeria reported $4.6B of cereal imports in 2024, the 12th largest among 96 ranked markets. For a rice seller, that makes it a market worth studying closely before you write a single quote.
| Market | HS 10 imports |
|---|---|
| China | $14.8B |
| Mexico | $8.0B |
| Egypt | $6.8B |
| Indonesia | $6.8B |
| Japan | $6.7B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 10 (cereals); rice is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Cereals are not a side line in Algeria’s import basket. At $4.6B, chapter 10 is the second largest chapter the country buys, behind only machinery at $6.6B, and it accounts for 9.7% of a $47.4B import total. Very few economies of this size depend on one food chapter to that degree.
That dependence shapes who buys. When a chapter is this large relative to the whole economy, purchasing is often concentrated in a small number of big buyers, sometimes public or quasi-public, rather than spread across hundreds of small trading houses. Do not assume that, but test it in shipment records before you build a sales plan around wholesalers.
Algeria sits just below South Korea at $4.8B and just above Germany at $4.0B, so the gap to both neighbours is small. Its share of world reported chapter imports is 3.1%. Compared with the largest importers, China at $14.8B and Mexico at $8.0B, it is a mid-sized destination, but one where a single contract can be material.
The country’s biggest general suppliers are China, Italy, France, Brazil and another Mediterranean neighbour, which tells you about trade lanes and shipping habits in general, not about rice specifically. Use it only as a hint about which freight routes and forwarders already serve the coast.
Start with the rules, because a market this dependent on grain imports tends to have specific procedures. Ask the destination customs authority and the buyer which licences, tender registrations or approvals apply to rice right now, and never rely on an old answer.
The $4.6B figure covers the whole of HS chapter 10, which is all cereals, not only rice. Wheat and maize can dominate a chapter like this, so the number tells you the size of the grain trade, not the size of the rice trade. Rankings are declared by the reporting country for the latest year available, and re-exports or reporting gaps can distort them.
To reach actual companies, work from shipment records filtered to the rice heading. They list consignee names, quantities and declared values, which lets you separate regular buyers from one-off traders. The site’s shipment data and free marketplace can help you shortlist and make contact.
Algeria reported $4.6B of chapter 10 cereal imports in 2024, ranking 12th of 96 markets and about 3.1% of world reported imports of the chapter. Rice is only part of that total, so treat it as a ceiling for the rice opportunity.
No. The country ranking shows totals only. Named consignees appear in customs shipment records, which list the importer, product description, quantity and declared value for individual consignments. Use the ranking to choose the market, then the records to find companies.
It can be, but check how purchasing is organised first. With cereals at 9.7% of all imports, large buyers may dominate. Review shipment sizes in the records, and confirm current licensing and tender rules with customs before you commit time.
Rankings use the latest year each market reported, at chapter level, and re-exports, valuation basis and reporting delays all affect them. Compare like with like, and treat the numbers as a guide to scale, not an exact count.
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