In mid-November, Minister of Supply Sherif Farouk announced that the strategic wheat reserve is sufficient for a secure period. He noted that the fall in imports this year is a positive indicator of the growing reliance on domestic wheat.
Egypt’s wheat imports dropped by 22.8 per cent between January and October this year, reaching $2.967 billion and down from $3.842 billion in the same period of the previous year, according to the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade.
Last year’s local wheat supply season saw a substantial surge, with farmers’ deliveries rising by 17 per cent and bringing the total amount of wheat supplied to over four million tons, reflecting increased confidence in the state’s supply system and incentive policies.
“The wheat import declines are linked to increased domestic production due to vertical expansion in wheat cultivation. Although the planted area was smaller than last year, farmers’ adoption of certified seeds and modern cultivation methods led to higher productivity per feddan,” said Hussein Abdel-Razek, head of the Farmers Syndicate.
Abdel-Razek added that the drop in imports is also credited to more rationalised consumption. The new subsidised bread system, improved oversight of wheat stocks, and reduced spoilage and losses due to the introduction of new silos have contributed to minimising wastage, he said.
He expects wheat imports to continue declining in the coming season, with the area currently planted projected to rise to 3.5 million feddans, up from 3.1 million feddans this season.
Average wheat yields are estimated at three tons per feddan, which could result in an additional 1.2 million tons compared to the 2025 harvest.
In 2024, Egypt’s wheat imports reached their highest level in a decade, totalling 14.2 million tons and up from 10.8 million tons in 2023, an increase of 31 per cent.
According to press reports, officials attributed last year’s surge in imports primarily to the easy availability of the dollar, as well as a drop in global wheat prices to $240 per ton, compared to over $350 per ton in 2023.
The government has announced an increase in the wheat procurement price for the upcoming season, raising it by LE350 per ardeb compared to this year’s price.
Alaa Farouk, minister of agriculture and land reclamation, said that the government was keen to announce a fair and incentivising price for this season’s wheat early on to reassure farmers and ensure stability in the expected return on the crop.
According to the Ministry of Supply, the procurement price for high-quality wheat exceeds global market prices, ensuring that farmers receive a satisfactory return. It added that announcing the price early allows farmers to plan and make informed decisions, contributing to achieving self-sufficiency.
The government annually raises the wheat procurement price to encourage farmers to increase domestic production. The price per ardeb was increased from LE1,500 in the 2023-24 season to LE2,000 in 2024-2025, and to LE2,350 in 2025-26.
The government aims to procure five million tons of local wheat in the next season, relying on new high-yield varieties.
Khaled Gad, deputy director of the Agricultural Research Institute, attributes the decline in imports to last season’s record wheat supply of four million tons, resulting from the cultivation of higher-yield varieties that are also resilient to climate variations.
Gad added that the development of the new silo system, which enhances storage capacity to over four million tons, has reduced wheat losses. Additionally, the new varieties of seeds used have increased productivity to 19.65 ardeb per feddan, up from 19.3 ardeb per feddan.
The new varieties were developed in Egypt, and combined with mechanised harvesting and modern cultivation methods, they have further minimised crop wastage, he said.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 4 December, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: