Egypt bought 2.6 million tonnes of wheat from local producers in 2011 compared to 2.1 million tonnes a year earlier, Social Solidarity Minister Gouda Abdel Khaleq said on Tuesday.

"We procured 25 per cent more wheat this year due to better price incentives," he said during a conference in Cairo. He did not give details on the incentives.

Egypt is the world's biggest wheat importer.