Egypt’s wheat reserves sufficient to cover four months demand
Egypt has also been expanding its storage capacity and modernising logistics infrastructure to strengthen food security.
EGYPT – Egypt’s wheat reserves remain stable at about 4.5 million tonnes, sufficient to cover around four months of domestic consumption, according to Hussein Bodi, Head of the Mill Owners Association and Vice President of the Grain Industry Chamber at the Federation of Egyptian Industries.
In statements reported by the state-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA) on Feb 16, Bodi said the reserves consist of contracted wheat through the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), along with imports and locally produced grain.
He noted that local wheat production currently stands at about 3.5 million tonnes, while the government has contracts to import roughly one million tonnes.
The country’s stockpile is expected to rise to around 5 million tonnes once the domestic wheat procurement season begins in mid-April and runs until mid-July 2026.
Bodi stressed that the current reserves exceed immediate market demand, particularly as Egypt prepares for the consumption increase linked to the upcoming Ramadan period, when demand for flour and subsidized bread typically rises.
Bodi said approximately 24,000 tonnes of wheat are supplied daily to 154 mills, which together employ about 30,000 workers across the country.
The steady supply to these facilities is considered essential for maintaining Egypt’s long-standing bread subsidy programme, one of the largest food support systems globally.
Overall, the country’s annual wheat supply, combining domestic production and imports, totals around 9 million tonnes, reflecting a stable grain supply chain despite volatility in international markets.
Heavy reliance on imports
Egypt remains the world’s largest wheat importer, with total imports typically ranging between 10 and 12 million tonnes annually, according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Domestic production usually reaches 9–10 million tonnes, meaning imports remain essential to meet the country’s overall consumption of roughly 20 million tonnes per year.
The government has increasingly diversified its wheat procurement in recent years. While Russia continues to dominate Egypt’s wheat supply, shipments also arrive from Romania, Ukraine, France and other Black Sea and European exporters through tenders issued by GASC.
With global grain markets still affected by geopolitical risks and freight volatility, maintaining strategic reserves remains a central element of Egypt’s food security strategy.
Bodi indicated that current stock levels and incoming domestic supplies are expected to keep the wheat supply chain stable through the coming months.
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