Egypt's Wheat Output Reaches 11 Million Tonnes, Says Agriculture Minister

Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk presented the ministry's food security strategy to the Senate, highlighting the country's progress in wheat production. The minister stated that wheat output had risen to 11 million tonnes in 2026, and the country's farmland had expanded to 10.5 million feddans. This development is part of the ministry's efforts to enhance food security.

The area planted with wheat increased to 3.7 million feddans in 2026, with average yields reaching 20 ardebs per feddan. The total cropped area, including multiple harvests, reached 17.5 million feddans. To encourage planting, the government raised its wheat procurement price to EGP 2,500 per ardeb this year. Researchers have developed 77 new varieties of field crops and 51 of vegetables.

Egypt's fertiliser subsidies exceeded EGP 35 billion this year, with farmers paying about EGP 4,500 a tonne, unchanged for over three years, against a global price of $450 to $500 a tonne. The ministry is redirecting subsidies to strategic crops, limiting subsidised fertiliser for sugar beet to newly reclaimed land and gradually cutting the allocation for sugar cane.

The country's livestock and poultry sectors have shown significant progress, with Egypt being about 60% self-sufficient in red meat and 98% in poultry. The country is fully self-sufficient in fresh milk and table eggs. Fish output reached 2.1 million tonnes in 2026. Farm exports rose to 9.5 million tonnes in 2026, reaching 160 markets, with a value of about $11.5 billion in 2025.

Egypt is the world's largest exporter of citrus and frozen strawberries, with farm exports including $4.96 billion of fresh produce and $6.8 billion of processed goods. The ministry is updating the 1966 Agriculture Law and revising the 1980 law on agricultural co-operatives to improve services offered to farmers.

The ministry has implemented several initiatives to support farmers, including subsidised farm loans at 5% interest, which have reached about EGP 30 billion, against commercial rates of 18% to 20%. The ministry has also requested approval to hire about 5,500 agricultural engineers for extension work.

The electronic farmer cards used to collect subsidised fertiliser have increased to 4.4 million, and sugar beet output reached 17 million tonnes, while potatoes output reached 10 million tonnes. The ministry's strategy rests on five pillars, including expanding cultivated land, raising yields, and modernising extension services through digital tools.

Key points

• Egypt's wheat output has reached 11 million tonnes in 2026.
• The country's farmland has expanded to 10.5 million feddans.
• Egypt is the world's largest exporter of citrus and frozen strawberries.