2.595 million acres allocated for non-traditional crops

CAIRO - 20 October 2018: Governor of New Valley Mohamed al-Zamalout allocated 2,500 feddans (2.595 million acres) to a company that will establish the largest farm in Egypt for non-traditional crops mainly jatropha curcas and jojoba.

Land levelling and well drilling have already started. The abovementioned crops will enter in the manufacturing of jet engine oils and beauty products.

Deputy Minister in New Valley Magd al-Morsi told Egypt Today that the irrigation will be with wastewater and underground water. Crops irrigated with the former will be used for jet engine oils production while crops irrigated with the latter will be used for beauty products such as jojoba oil.

The official added that the governorate is eager to facilitate all paperwork for non-traditional projects yielding high revenues for investors.

In August, the Ministry of Irrigation announced a plan to switch the operation of underground wells from diesel to solar energy. The first phase consists of 161 wells. Forty-eight percent of which finished including 25 wells in New Valley.

The New Valley Governor Mohamed el-Zamalout approved in October, 2018 the establishing of an industrial zone on a space of 100 feddans (one feddan = 1,038 acres) in the area between the Farafra and Bahariya oasis.

The lands within the zone will be given to beneficiaries for a symbolic fee, but they will have to pay for the establishment of the needed facilities.

Meanwhile, the Western Egypt Development project is being executed in Matrouh Governorate and was launched by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in July 2017.

The project’s plan includes an investment zone at Gergoub area, a commercial port, passengers quay, economic and tourist centers, urban agglomerations, logistics center, an industrial zone and a big fisheries complex.

The project will take place over 250,000 feddans, with 50 kilometers on the Mediterranean coast into Matrouh Governorate, costing $10 billion.

It will be executed on three phases and completed after 10 years. The first phase will be finished within two years with a cost of $2 billion.