Egypt expands area cultivated with sugar beet to achieve 90% self-sufficiency

CAIRO – 15 February 2023: The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade released a press statement Wednesday showcasing the plan for 2023 to ensure a 90-percent self-sufficiency of sugar.

The ministry indicated that the surface area cultivated with sugar beet would be increased by 10,000 feddans to become 620,000 feddans. The outcome after processing is expected to be 1.8 million tons of sugar.

The statement also highlighted that the ministry pumps subsidized sugar on ration cards at an amount of 120,000 tons per month, which is 4,000 tons per day.

Canal Sugar Company announced in May the start of the official operations of the largest sugar production plant in the world, with investments amounting to about $400 million.

The first and second lines of the factory have been started with a production capacity of 18,000 tons of sugar per day, in preparation for reaching the maximum production capacities of about one million tons per year during the next year 2023.

Once the maximum capacities are reached, the company will contribute positively to Egypt achieving 100 percent self-sufficiency in sugar in line with the state's vision to achieve sustainable development in Egypt 2030, which is mainly based on achieving self-sufficiency in basic and strategic commodities.