Algeria excludes French wheat from latest tender amid diplomatic strains

Algeria, a top global wheat importer, has notably excluded France from its recent tender for wheat procurement, signaling escalating tensions between the two nations, Reuters reports. Historically, France has been a key supplier to Algeria, but the Algerian grains agency OAIC has now opted to source over 500,000 metric tons of wheat exclusively from non-French origins.

Traders indicated that French exporters were not invited to participate in this latest tender, and OAIC explicitly directed non-French suppliers to refrain from offering wheat originating from France. The OAIC has declined to comment traders suggest the move underscores the deepening rift in Franco-Algerian relations.

This week, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune reinforced this strained dynamic, stating his intention to indefinitely suspend a long-delayed diplomatic visit to France.

At the heart of the discord lies the Western Sahara issue. In July, France officially backed Morocco's claim over the contested territory, a decision that has infuriated Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front, the group advocating for Western Sahara’s independence.

This exclusion of French wheat presents a lucrative opportunity for Russian wheat suppliers, who are poised to capture a larger share of Algeria's wheat import market amidst these shifting geopolitical alliances.