Egypt’s strategic commodity reserves remain secure, wheat supply covers safe periods: minister 

Egypt’s strategic reserves of key commodities remain secure and exceed levels recorded a year ago, the supply minister said on Sunday, underscoring efforts to strengthen food security amid global supply pressures.

Supply and Internal Trade Minister Sherif Farouk said the country’s wheat reserves were sufficient for “safe periods,” adding that a drop in wheat imports this year reflected greater reliance on domestic output. Local wheat procurement rose 17 per cent  last season to more than 4 million tonnes, a gain he attributed to higher farmer participation and state incentive programmes.

Egypt aims to lift local wheat deliveries to 5 million tons in the upcoming season as it works toward self-sufficiency in bread wheat, Farouk said.

He added that reserves of cooking oil and sugar remain stable, while supplies of fresh and frozen meat and poultry held by consumer complexes and state-affiliated companies are adequate to meet demand with no shortages.

Farouk said Egypt is pursuing a broader strategy to protect strategic stocks by diversifying import sources, expanding local production and upgrading storage and supply chains to keep essential goods available at reasonable prices. He said current reserve levels reflect the effectiveness of government policies in maintaining food security despite global market volatility.