Where did Algeria's potatoes go? Empty stalls and sharp jokes online

The humble potato, the backbone of countless Algerian family meals, has become hard to find. In some markets and greengrocers it is missing altogether, and social media is full of complaints and jokes.

What happened?

Shoppers report patchy supplies and potatoes sold for up to 150 dinars per kilo (about $1.10) in some places, according to local reports. The official retail cap is 90 dinars (about 66 cents), based on the official exchange rate.

The question many people are asking is simple: what is a price cap worth if the goods are not on the shelves?

Why is everyone talking about it?

On Facebook, Ahlam Boura joked that cooking a potato dish now takes planning, a budget and a family meeting. She wondered which social class she belongs to, having six potatoes at home. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had set the price, she noted, not asked for the potatoes to disappear.

On X, a user named Hakim Zine said a kilo had hit 180 dinars, up from 130 two days earlier. He quoted a vegetable supplier saying farmers sell at 70 to 85 dinars, which would make a 90-dinar retail price in northern Algeria impossible.

Others linked the shortage to wider pressure on household budgets, including complaints about cooking oil, car prices and inflation eating into purchasing power.

Economist Ibrahim Kandouzi told the TSA news site the scarcity comes from several factors: weak production, transport and storage problems, and many middlemen in the fresh produce chain. He said new harvests reaching markets could ease the crisis.

What came before?

On 1 October, after a ministerial meeting, the Ministry of Internal Trade set potato prices at 60 to 70 dinars per kilo for farmers and 80 to 90 dinars at retail. Inspectors were told to enforce them at every stage of sale.

What's next?

Authorities are acting. The trade directorate in Ouled Djellal announced that potato stocks are being taken out of cold storage in Ain Defla, Medea, Boumerdes and Bouira to boost supply. The stocks had been stored to help stabilise the market.

On Thursday, 5 November, the government also launched a digital platform to track daily prices and availability of basic goods across the provinces. It stressed action against deliberate shortages and price manipulation.

The consumer group Hamiytak urged tighter checks and asked people to report overpricing, naming the province and the shop.