Egypt’s agriculture at a turning point

At Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Egypt presented itself not only as a major exporter of fresh fruit and vegetables, but as a country reshaping its agricultural sector through large-scale land projects, infrastructure investment and closer cooperation with the private sector.
In this interview, Alaa Farouk, Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, outlines how government policy, private enterprise and a new generation of exporters are shaping Egypt’s role in global food markets.

 

Minister Farouk, walking through the Egyptian pavilion here at Fruit Logistica, one notices how many exhibitors are family-owned companies. How important is the private sector for Egypt’s agricultural exports today?

The private sector is very, very important for Egypt today. What you see here at Fruit Logistica reflects the real structure of our agricultural export sector. Many of our exporters are family-owned businesses, often built over generations, and they are now playing a central role in representing Egypt internationally.

Over the past years, the expansion taking place in Egypt has directly supported agricultural business. Government policy has focused on creating the conditions for private companies to grow, invest and export. Today, more than 85 companies are actively working in agricultural exports, and they are the backbone of this success.

This is why agriculture today is clearly a growth sector for Egypt.

 

You mentioned expansion. One of the most discussed projects is the New Delta. Can you explain its scale and strategic importance?

The New Delta project is a very big project. Its total area is 2.2 million feddan, which is almost 1.1 million hectares. This is entirely new agricultural land, and it is designed to support Egypt’s future exports.

The idea behind the New Delta is not only to increase production, but to create modern agricultural zones based on technology, efficiency and sustainability. This project will play a major role in supporting agricultural exports in the coming years.

 

Beyond the New Delta, which other land reclamation projects are currently shaping Egypt’s agricultural map?

The New Delta is one pillar, but it is not the only one. We have several other large projects that together form what we call the “new land” strategy.

There is the Toshka project, with around one million feddan. In Sanab al-Sul, there is another half a million feddan. In Aswan, we also have around half a million feddan, and another half a million feddan in Sinai. All of these areas are new agricultural land that did not exist before in terms of modern cultivation.

Together, these projects significantly expand Egypt’s agricultural base and reduce pressure on traditional farming areas.

 

These projects require massive infrastructure. How does agriculture fit into Egypt’s broader infrastructure investment over the past decade?

Over the last ten years, Egypt has invested heavily in infrastructure. We are talking about investments in highways, stations and logistics networks. This infrastructure is not separate from agriculture; it is essential for it.

Good roads, transport stations and logistics hubs allow agricultural products to move quickly from farms to packhouses, ports and export markets. In addition, the new administrative capital is another very important project. It represents what we call the “new Egypt” and is part of preparing the country for future generations.

All of this infrastructure creates a foundation that allows agriculture and food exports to grow sustainably.

 

Water is clearly a critical issue, especially with climate change and new upstream dams. How is Egypt addressing water scarcity in agriculture?

Water is a big issue, especially after the construction of new dams upstream. This reality forces us to rethink how we use water in agriculture.

We are working on recycling water coming from agricultural land, and at the same time we are introducing new technology in the new land areas to minimize water use. Drip irrigation is a key element here, but it is not the only one.

Today, we calculate not only the profitability coming from the land, but also the profitability coming from the water. This means choosing the right crops – good products with high value – and using water as efficiently as possible.

 

Does this shift also influence what Egypt grows and exports?

Yes, very much so. When water becomes a limiting factor, the focus must move toward high-value products rather than low-value, water-intensive crops.

This is why quality control and product selection are so important. Many companies are now concentrating on quality. For example, when we talk about garlic, there are companies producing garlic in Egypt today that is better than garlic from China, which has traditionally been a reference for quality.

So the strategy is clear: quality, technology, rules and regulations, and strong quality control. All of these elements are essential.

 

European markets are particularly demanding. How does Egypt address quality and certification requirements for exports to Europe?

Europe requires quality and certification, and this is very clear. European customers want to be sure about standards, safety and traceability.

That is why rules, regulations and quality control are so important for us. The private sector understands this, and many companies are investing heavily in certification and compliance with European requirements.

We invite any company working in Europe to come and join us in Egypt, to work with our private sector, to see what has been done and to build stronger cooperation in the future.

 

Exporting fresh fruit is one thing, but value addition is another. How is Egypt developing the processing side of the agricultural value chain?

For Egypt, it is not enough to export fruit only in its fresh form. We want to develop more of the value chain inside the country.

This is why we are seeing growth in processed fruit, as well as in drying facilities and freezing facilities. There are many new projects related to new factories for agriculture. These investments allow us to export products with higher added value and create more jobs locally.

 

Who is driving this shift toward processing and value addition?

A very important role is played by the new generation. Today, the new generation is here in Germany, working in export and representing Egypt.

This new generation wants to add value to the product. They are more educated, more exposed to international markets and more focused on sustainability and quality. This is the future of Egyptian agriculture.

 

You mention sustainability. How central is this topic for Egypt’s agricultural strategy?

Sustainability is very important, especially for the new generation. They are learning a lot, they are educated, and they understand that sustainability is not optional.

The cooperation between the new generation in Egypt and the new generation in Europe is very important. This is my task and your task: to support them, to help them move between Egypt and Europe, and to continue what their fathers started in the private sector.

 

Climate change is affecting agricultural production worldwide. How do you see Egypt’s position in this context?

We all know what is happening with climate change. We see problems in Spain, we see problems in Italy, especially in olive production. We also see many problems in Brazil.

Despite all of this, Egypt is still in a good way. We have a good location, and we are managing our resources carefully. This gives Egypt an opportunity.

 

What is Egypt’s long-term vision in regional and global food supply chains?

We hope that Egypt can become a hub for Europe, for Africa and for Asia. This is a real opportunity.

Europe has knowledge, technology and experience that can be shared with Egypt. At the same time, Egypt offers scale, location and growing capacity. In 2024, agricultural export revenues exceeded USD 11.5 billion, compared with USD 10.7 billion in the previous year. This underlines the momentum of the sector.

Europe is a very important partner for Egypt, and this partnership can grow much stronger in the future.

We would like to thank Minister Alaa Farouk for taking the time to speak with Egypt-Business.com during a busy Fruit Logistica agenda, and for sharing his insights into the future direction of Egypt’s agricultural and food sector.