Local wheat supply expected to increase by 1.5 ton in 2022, 240 feddans of wheat added to national plot via vertical expansion

CAIRO – 14 March 2022: Some 240 feddans have been added to the wheat-cultivating plot in Egypt as a result of vertical expansion, head of the Service Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture said Sunday.

Dr. Abbas al-Shennawy said wheat is grown on 3.6 feddans across the country in 2022, which will increase the grain supply to silos and storages to more than 10 million tons.

“Around 3.6 tons of wheat were supplied in 2021, and we are hoping the supply will exceed five million tons this year in light of the concessions granted to farmers,” Shennawy said.

“We expect by the end of the season a significant turnover from farmers to supply the largest percentage of wheat to the state, and there will be offices near all farmers, so they do not bear delivery expenses,” he added.

The state announced the price of wheat earlier than usual after several meetings to “set scenarios that are satisfactory to everyone and that guarantee more supply to the Supply Commodities Authorities this year,” he continued.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi decided to grant a larger supply incentive to the price of local wheat this season on Sunday. He met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Ati, and Minister of Agriculture el-Sayed el-Quseer to discuss harvest productivity as part of the state's policy of horizontal expansion of agricultural lands and vertical expansion of wheat growing plots using the best types of seeds, modern irrigation methods, and agricultural mechanization.

Egypt is the world's largest importer of wheat, especially from Ukraine and Russia. Due to the military escalation in Ukraine by Russian troops, wheat supply to Egypt has been affected and caused an increase of the price of the unsubsidized bread by 25 piasters per loaf. Also, the country has cancelled two international tenders of wheat due to bids of high prices. However, the government assured that the wheat stocks are enough until the end of this year, especially the near harvest of the locally produced wheat.