Egypt Cuts Wheat Imports Thanks to Record Harvest Growth

 Egypt has reduced its wheat imports to 12.5 million tons in 2026, down from 13.2 million tons the previous year, thanks to significant growth in domestic production, Egypt Today reported, citing a statement from Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk.

According to the minister, the country's wheat production exceeded 10 million tons, marking a 6.5% increase over last year's figure. He also noted that the state procurement system is achieving record results, approaching the target of 5 million tons by the end of the season.

This year, wheat was cultivated on 3.76 million acres, approximately 600,000 acres more than the previous season.

Farouk stated that authorities have focused on increasing productivity and developing a contract farming system. According to him, this mechanism protects farmers from market fluctuations through pre-set procurement prices, while also ensuring direct interaction between producers and enterprises without intermediaries.

He noted that one of the factors driving growth was the establishment of a procurement price of 2,500 Egyptian pounds by presidential decree from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

According to the minister, the sector's development was also supported by programs of the Agricultural Research Center aimed at developing high-yield and climate-resilient crop varieties.

Over the past three years, approximately 60 new varieties and hybrids of strategically important crops have been developed under these programs, including wheat, corn, rice, oilseeds, and fodder crops.

Earlier in June, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that Egypt had purchased a record 4.6 million tons of wheat from farmers.