Ministry of Agriculture Explores Railway Transportation to Optimize Grain Collection
The Ministry of Agriculture, the Grain Office, and various stakeholders in the industry are currently considering the use of railway transportation to improve the grain collection chain. Two studies are underway to enhance the transportation routes and facilitate the transfer of crops, particularly wheat, barley, and triticale, to silos and storage centers.
First Study: New Collection Centers
The first study focuses on the establishment of new collection centers in major production areas, near railway lines, to simplify the transportation of crops. This was announced by Malek Esseghir, representative of the Grain Office, during the National Evaluation Day of the 2024-2025 cereal campaign and preparation for the next season, held on Thursday at INRAT.
Second Study: Cost Comparison
The second study involves a comparative analysis of the costs between building new centers in production areas and the current transportation of crops by truck or train.
Measures to Improve Collection
Ms. Esseghir also presented measures to make collection more efficient, including:
- A 5% increase in the grain transportation tariff
- Removal of the maximum load limit during the collection campaign
- Strengthened coordination with SNCFT, the National Chamber of Transporters, and cooperatives
- Establishment of a green number to monitor the collection chain in real-time
Positive Results
According to the official, the 2024-2025 campaign has already recorded results superior to the average of the last five years, both for consumption cereals and selected seeds. Stakeholders estimate that the next season could be even better.
