Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, affirmed the state’s commitment to supporting Egyptian farmers, encouraging agricultural production, ensuring fair returns, and improving income levels.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Farouk said the government has raised the wheat procurement price for the current season to EGP 2,500 per ardeb, in line with directives from Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi aimed at supporting farmers. He added that financial dues owed to farmers and suppliers will be disbursed promptly, within a maximum of 48 hours.
Farouk noted that the receipt of locally produced wheat will begin on 15 April and continue until 15 August. He confirmed that all governorates are fully prepared for the harvest and supply season, with comprehensive technical support in place to facilitate operations and address any challenges during harvesting and delivery.
The minister said the state is targeting the procurement of around 5 million tonnes of locally produced wheat this season, contributing to narrowing the import gap and strengthening the country’s strategic reserves.
He also highlighted a notable expansion in wheat cultivation, with total planted areas exceeding 3.7 million feddans, an increase of 600,000 feddans compared to last year. This growth, he said, reflects intensive research efforts by affiliated centres, which have helped raise productivity to an average of 18 to 20 ardebs per feddan through improved seed varieties and modern farming practices.
Farouk directed the Agricultural Mechanisation Sector to ensure full readiness and provide the necessary machinery to support mechanical harvesting. He also stressed the importance of making threshing equipment available at reduced costs to minimise post-harvest losses and save time and effort.
He further emphasised the need to maintain equipment and ensure its fair distribution across governorates, particularly in areas with large cultivated land, to facilitate the swift transport of crops to silos and storage facilities, streamline supply operations, and prevent congestion.
In addition, the minister instructed agricultural directorates nationwide to simplify procedures for farmers and provide full technical and advisory support to ensure the efficient functioning of the harvest and supply system. Addressing any obstacles to supply operations remains essential to maintaining market stability and securing safe strategic wheat reserves, he said.
Farouk also directed the Central Administration for Directorates Affairs to establish sub-operation rooms within agricultural directorates across all governorates, linked directly to the ministry’s central operations room to monitor harvesting and supply activities in real time and enable rapid intervention when needed, in coordination with the Ministry of Supply and other relevant entities.
He called for intensified field visits by officials, researchers, and agricultural extension teams, alongside regular inspections of fields and collection centres, to ensure compliance with technical standards and provide on-the-ground support to farmers, helping ensure smooth operations and prevent congestion at delivery points.
