Egypt is moving forward with a landmark initiative to localise natural silk production, as senior officials witnessed on Saturday the signing of a cooperation protocol to establish the country’s first integrated silk production centre in El Kharga, New Valley. The project will span 250 feddans, making it the nucleus of Egypt’s silk localisation programme.
The protocol was signed by Hesham El-Helbawy, Assistant Minister of Local Development for National Projects; Adel Abdel Azim, Head of the Agricultural Research Centre; and Ihab Nafea, Deputy Secretary-General of New Valley Governorate. It was attended by Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment; Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; and Mohamed Al-Zamlout, Governor of New Valley.
Minister Manal Awad stressed that the centre’s establishment comes in direct implementation of the President’s directives to localise the silk industry in Egypt. She explained that an executive plan was prepared in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders, and approved by the Prime Minister to launch the project.
Awad emphasised that the centre would not only strengthen self-sufficiency in silk production but also generate new job opportunities, particularly for young people. “The project will serve as a model for replication across other governorates and contribute to reducing imports and saving foreign currency,” she said.
The centre is expected to produce around 25 tonnes of natural silk within four years, supplying raw materials for several industries, including textiles, carpets, and certain medical products. Training programmes and awareness campaigns will also be rolled out to encourage community participation, with mulberry leaves and silkworm eggs distributed to households for supervised home-based production.
Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk described the project as a “strategic step” in localising a vital industry that holds strong potential for Egypt’s economy. He affirmed his ministry’s readiness to provide technical and advisory support, working in full coordination with the Ministries of Local Development, New Valley Governorate, and public and private partners.
“Natural silk production will add significant value to the national economy, generate direct and indirect jobs, increase farmers’ incomes, and reduce reliance on imports,” Farouk said. He further highlighted that the integrated system will cover all stages of production — from mulberry cultivation to processing and marketing — ensuring sustainability and success.
Governor Mohamed Al-Zamlout affirmed that the project reflects the directives of the political leadership and will be replicated nationwide after successful implementation in New Valley. He said the Governorate is committed to providing logistical support to accelerate execution and maximise community benefits.
“This initiative will boost local value addition, reduce Egypt’s import bill, and open new opportunities for training, employment, and production for the people of New Valley,” Al-Zamlout said.
