Gov't announces wheat cultivated areas rise to 1.5M feddans in winter

CAIRO – 1 December 2018: The size of wheat cultivated areas increased to 1.5 million feddans at the beginning of this year's winter season as there is a target to reach 3.4 million feddans, according to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The ministry told press on Saturday that subsidized fertilizers are provided to farmers cultivating wheat, and that it is running awareness campaigns to encourage more wheat cultivation.

The ministry has also launched inspection campaigns on vegetable crops, especially tomato and potato crops, to follow up on productivity, provide needed guidelines and instructions, and avoid the repercussions of climate change.

The ministry is observing potato crops in Minya as their harvest time has started. The production per feddan is 10 tons. The ministry is also observing tomato crops in Luxor and Qena. The prices of potato and tomato have almost doubled recently for end consumers.

The ministry may issue a decree in the future to regulate decoration plants cultivation in order to provide support for farmers in the business. That is part of a nationwide plan to develop horticulture in Egypt crucial for local needs and exportation.