Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)
According to a report by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Egypt is expected to produce more wheat in 2024/25 as the government encourages a larger area under cultivation and higher yields.
Production is estimated at 9.2 million tons, up from 8.87 million tons in the previous year.
High government purchase prices also encouraged farmers to grow more wheat, according to the FAS.
Wheat imports are estimated at 12.5 million tons, up 11.4 percent from the previous estimate but on par with 2023-24.
“Foreign exchange inflows contributed to the release of cargoes detained at ports and facilitated the import of essential goods (including wheat) for both the public and private sectors,” the FAS said. “In addition, the decline in world wheat prices has contributed to the private and public sectors seeking to maximize their purchases at reduced prices.
Egypt is a major supplier of wheat flour to many African and Middle Eastern countries and has significantly increased its wheat flour exports to the region as it continues to expand its milling capacity, FAS said.
The main destinations for Egyptian flour were Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, Somalia, Djibouti, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
From January to May, Egypt increased its wheat flour exports by 250 percent compared to the previous year. The largest increase in exports came from Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The main reasons for this are the Hussite attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the crisis between Israel and Hamas and the crisis in Sudan.