Egyptian cotton exports hit 60K tons at $380M in 2021

CAIRO – 29 August 2022: Manager of Cotton Improvement Fund Adel Abdel Azim told Al Dostor newspaper Monday that Egyptian cotton exports amounted to 60,000 tons valued at $380 million in 2021.

Egypt exports 90 percent of its produce annually with India being the top exporter followed by China and Bangladesh. Abdel Azim said that the cotton export price per 100 kilogram hit LE 7,000 last year. As for farmers, they are expected to be paid LE4,000-LE5,000 per 100 kilograms this year.

Abdel Azim expressed hope that the export price would rise after the introduction of the cotton promotion system in September, and that is implemented by three ministries, which are those of agriculture, trade, and public enterprise.

The fund's deputy manager, Walid Yehia, told Al Dostor that the feddan's (one feddan equals 4,500 square meters) productivity is expected to be 800-850 kilograms this year, and that the estimated size of the whole harvest nationwide may be 220 – 250 million kilograms.

Of those, public enterprise companies are expected to purchase one million kilograms. Mahala Factory alone, which will be launched later this year, is planned to purchase 140 million tons per annum.

The cotton type mostly grown in the country is Giza 94 as the cultivated area is 233,000 feddans. Then, comes Giza 86 which is cultivated on a total of 46,000 feddans, followed by Giza 92 on 10,000 feddans. Finally, come Giza 97 grown on a total of 9,000 feddans, and Giza 96 on 8,000 feddans.  

Yehya added that the crop is ready for harvest in Upper Egypt, while it is still ripening in Delta.