Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting to review the government’s progress in settling farmers’ dues for sugarcane deliveries and discuss procurement prices for strategic commodities, as Egypt continues to monitor essential food supplies and strategic reserves.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk, Supply and Internal Trade Minister Sherif Farouk, Agriculture and Land Reclamation Minister Alaa El-Din Farouk, and officials from the relevant ministries.
Madbouly reaffirmed the government’s commitment to paying farmers for sugarcane supplied to state-affiliated sugar producers, while stressing the importance of continuing to monitor the settlement of farmers’ dues for other strategic crops.
The meeting comes as Egypt seeks to maintain adequate supplies of essential food commodities and strengthen domestic production of key agricultural and food products. Sugar is considered a strategic commodity, with local production supplemented by imports to meet domestic consumption requirements.
Farouk said the government is prioritising the development of the sugar industry and coordinating with relevant authorities to improve production efficiency and strengthen supply chains. He added that these measures aim to maintain sugar availability in the local market and support food security.
The Supply and Internal Trade Ministry is also continuing to settle its financial obligations to sugarcane farmers. Farouk said more than EGP 18bn had been paid to farmers so far for sugarcane deliveries.
The payments form part of the government’s broader efforts to ensure that farmers receive their dues for strategic crops in accordance with agreed procurement mechanisms and payment schedules.
The meeting also reviewed the current position of sugar production from different sources and indicators related to market availability. Officials discussed efforts by the relevant authorities to support domestic sugar production and maintain the continuity of supply chains.
According to the meeting, Egypt’s strategic sugar reserve, along with stocks of other strategic commodities, remains at safe levels and is sufficient to cover domestic requirements for extended periods.
The discussions also addressed procurement prices for other strategic commodities, with Madbouly stressing the need for the government to adhere to payment schedules for farmers supplying these commodities.
He said timely payment of procurement prices is important for maintaining farmers’ incentives to supply strategic crops through official channels and ensuring the continuity of government procurement programmes.
The government’s approach covers a range of strategic agricultural commodities, with procurement and supply policies designed to secure domestic stocks while supporting agricultural production.
The meeting also considered the relationship between farmers’ payments and the government’s efforts to maintain strategic reserves. Ensuring the timely settlement of farmers’ dues can support the flow of agricultural products into official procurement channels, while adequate reserves help reduce supply pressures in the domestic market.
Egypt has been seeking to expand domestic agricultural production and improve the efficiency of food supply chains as part of its broader food security policies. Strategic commodities such as sugar are closely monitored because of their importance to household consumption and the food-processing industry.
The government is also working to coordinate the roles of the ministries responsible for agriculture, supply, finance, and industry in managing strategic commodity production, procurement, payments, and reserves.
Madbouly directed the relevant authorities to continue monitoring the payment of farmers’ dues and the availability of strategic commodities, while ensuring that procurement prices are paid according to established schedules.
The measures are intended to maintain sufficient stocks of essential commodities, support the continuity of domestic agricultural production, and strengthen Egypt’s ability to meet local demand.
