ALGIERS - Algeria’s food bill increased by nearly 19% in January 2012, inflated by imports of cereals and pulses, despite an overall drop of more than 6% of Algerian imports, Algerian customs said Wednesday.

Imports of food products in Algeria recorded the most "significant increase" (18.8%) from $ 687 million in January 2011 to $ 816 in the same period in 2012, according to figures from the National Centre of Informatics and Statistics of Customs (CNIS) reported to APS.