Egypt refutes reports of wheat seed, fertiliser shortfalls

Egypt has sufficient supplies of certified wheat seeds and subsidised fertilisers, dismissing reports of shortages at official distribution outlets, the Cabinet Media Centre said Monday.

In a statement, the centre cited the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation as confirming that high-yield, certified wheat seeds are available nationwide through more than 5,600 village agricultural cooperatives, over 700 outlets operated by the Central Administration for Seed Production, and about 15,000 licensed private-sector seed dealers.

Total wheat seed output from public and private producers reached 74,466 tons after processing, the ministry said. Of that, 60,034 tons have been distributed, leaving an undistributed balance of about 14,432 tons. The Central Administration for Seed Production alone has supplied 23,316 tons, with around 1,783 tons still in stock, despite the end of the wheat planting season.

The ministry added that the total area planted with wheat exceeded the government’s target of 3.5 million feddans, rising by more than 400,000 feddans from a year earlier.

On fertilisers, the ministry said subsidised nitrogen supplies are being delivered in line with scheduled shipments, with factories dispatching monthly quotas to ensure timely access for eligible farmers. Since the start of the 2025–2026 winter season, 653,000 tons have been distributed, with the season running through the end of March.

Roughly 154,000 tons of fertilisers remain in storage, with daily shipments continuing without disruption, the ministry said, adding that stocks at agricultural cooperative warehouses nationwide do not fall below 3 million bags.

The ministry urged citizens to rely on official sources and not be misled by what it described as false information aimed at stirring public opinion.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English