Egypt wheat reserves sufficient for 6 months, says minister

Farmers harvest wheat in Al Minufiyah, one of the important grain production centers of Egypt on May 14, 2022 [Mohamed Abdel Hamid/Anadolu Agency]

Egypt’s strategic wheat reserves are “sufficient” for 6.5 months, the Supply Minister Aly Moselhy announced yesterday.

His statement comes days after the conclusion of the country’s wheat production and supply season.

In September, Egypt said it had purchased a total of 4.2 million tonnes of wheat from local farmers.

According to official data, the North African country consumes some 22 million tonnes of wheat per annum, 13 million of which is imports from abroad. Experts say that Egypt’s wheat stock was experiencing shortages following the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Egypt, one of the world’s biggest wheat importers, has sought to diversify its suppliers since facing higher global prices and disruptions to purchases from the Black Sea after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.

READ: Egypt deal for Indian wheat stands, but not shipped yet

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