Egypt raises wheat procurement price, launches support package for farmers

Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture raised the procurement price of locally-cultivated wheat to 2,200 Egyptian pounds per ardeb, vowing a speedy payment to encourage supply. The season will begin in the second half of April, with early procurement windows and increased access to modern harvesting equipment across governorates to minimise crop losses.

Extension efforts have also been intensified to guide farmers on best practices before harvest, particularly regarding irrigation timing and identifying proper grain maturity to reduce losses.

Notably, Egyptian wheat has now earned global recognition, ranking fourth in productivity per unit of land. Five new climate-resilient varieties — Misr 5, Misr 6, Misr 7, Sakha 97, and Sohag 6 — have been registered and will be available to farmers beginning next season.

The government is also offering certified seeds of the latest varieties at subsidised prices and distributing them according to a varietal map tailored to local conditions, helping maximise yields by matching each variety to the most suitable governorates.

Additional support includes more than 20,000 demonstration fields under national extension campaigns, especially focused on ridge planting. These fields are used for farmer training and knowledge sharing through field days, harvest days, and seminars.

Farmers are further supported with modern agricultural machinery. Moreover, a national weed control campaign targeting wild oats and Phalaris minor is also being implemented at the ministry’s expense.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: M. S. Salama