The goat sector in Algeria

March 2024. The points raised during the workshop were:

• The goat sector is very marginal compared to other animal sectors (cattle, sheep, poultry).
• The vast majority of breeders have a small number of goats
• The extensive livestock system is the most dominant.
• The existing breeds are geographically distributed in the eastern (Arabia), central (Kabylie dwarf, M’zab) and western regions.
• We raise the problem of food which significantly increases the cost of production.
• Milk production is low and does not exceed 1.5 liters/day/goat.
• In Tizi-ouzou and Ghardaia, The collection is formal
• The milk is sold entirely to processing industries.
• A small part of milk production is intended for self-consumption
• The choice of processing industry is generally based on two criteria: The purchase price per liter of milk and the breeder-collector relationship.
• Collectors are considered employers of the processing unit
• In general, the consumption of goat’s milk is encouraged for its virtues. Consumers buy raw milk directly from farmers on farms. Milk is packaged in plastic bags or bottles, without quality control or labeling. There is no traceability (informal sale)