Record wheat production expected in Egypt

 Egypt’s wheat imports are forecast to decline in the 2026-27 marketing year due to an anticipated increase in production, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

With wheat output projected to increase by 6% year-on-year to 9.8 million tonnes, which would be the second largest harvest ever, imports are seen declining by 200,000 tonnes to 12.5 million tonnes, the FAS said. The Egyptian government has prioritized an increase in domestic wheat production as a food security measure.

The FAS said the greater output is due mainly to a projected increase in wheat harvested area to a record 1.5 million hectares.

“The increase in area is driven by higher procurement prices which encouraged farmers to sow additional areas with wheat,” the FAS said.

It noted that in recent years most of Egypt’s imported wheat has been supplied by Russia and Ukraine, “which offers competitive prices, lower freight costs, and faster shipping to Egyptian ports than alternative suppliers.”

Over the past three years, private companies have captured a larger share of Egypt’s wheat import market, which stems from their expanded flour production for regional exports and distribution to private bakeries and cafes that make premium products, the FAS said.

“The private sector now leads in imports of US wheat,” the FAS noted.

A significant flour exporter, Egypt is forecast to ship 1.2 million tonnes of flour (wheat equivalent) in 2026-27, a 20% increase over last year’s total.

“Egypt is a key supplier of wheat flour to many African and Middle Eastern countries and has significantly expanded its wheat flour exports to the region,” the FAS said.