Egypt targets full wheat self-sufficiency for subsidized bread by 2028

 Egypt aims to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat for its heavily subsidized bread programme in 2028, Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk told Reuters.

Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk revealed the updated timeline, noting that while the previous goal was set for 2027, a more realistic three-year roadmap is now in place to ensure the sustainability of the country’s most vital food security pillar.

The draft budget for marketing year 2026/27 estimates that Egypt needs about 8.6 million metric tonnes of wheat to supply the subsidized bread scheme, underscoring the scale of the challenge for a country long among the world’s largest wheat importers.

The government has offered competitive procurement prices to encourage planting and has signalled plans to purchase up to 5 million tonnes from domestic producers this season, a move intended to narrow the import gap and support rural incomes.

Procurement so far this season has exceeded last year’s pace, with official data showing state purchases of 1.39 million tonnes as of early May, up 17% year‑on‑year, though still below the 1.6 million tonnes bought by the same date in 2024.