Potato crisis and speculation: A deliberate targeting of Algeria's food security

Recent reports from El Oued province highlight illicit activities involving the smuggling of potatoes into Libya or the deliberate discarding of large quantities of the crop, mirroring the tomato waste observed last summer. According to local witnesses, these actions are driven by middlemen and certain farmers attempting to manufacture market shortages. This occurs while the government is actively investing in agriculture to achieve food self-sufficiency and reduce import dependence, a development that upsets hostile elements. Analysts suggest these manufactured crises serve as political and economic leverage, particularly when Algeria asserts its influence through key regional and international decisions. Observers are calling for strict legal action against speculators and smugglers who exploit basic foodstuffs to undermine national stability and hinder the ongoing agricultural reforms taking place in the vast southern regions.