ALGIERS: Algeria's total wheat imports dropped 7.32 percent to 1.873 million tonnes but were up 11.5 percent in value in the first four months of this year, compared with the same period in 2012, official figures showed on Monday.

Soft wheat purchases fell 4.7 percent to 1.526 million tonnes in the January-April period this year from 1.598 million tonnes in the same period a year earlier, according to customs data.

The data showed durum wheat imports decreased 22.4 percent to 345,763 tonnes from 423,244 tonnes.

The overall value of durum and soft imports increased this year to $700.03 million from $627.79 milliom in 2012.