Egypt secures wheat, vegetable oil imports as domestic purchases fall short
The government had aimed to buy between 4-5 million tons of wheat from local farmers during the 2024/25 season.
EGYPT – Egypt’s state grain buyer, Mostakbal Misr, has booked six vegetable oil shipments amounting to more than 74,000 metric tons from Black Sea origins, including Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania.
The agency also confirmed agreements with international suppliers to import over 600,000 tons of wheat, largely from Black Sea countries as well as France, for delivery during September and October. The agency, officially known as the Future of Egypt for Sustainable Development, did not provide details of suppliers, shipment schedules or prices, but traders expect the deals to be completed over the coming weeks.
Egypt is among the world’s largest wheat importers, consuming more than 12 million tons annually, with state agencies typically accounting for around 5 million tons.
Wheat purchased by the government is used to produce subsidised bread, a lifeline for more than two-thirds of the country’s 108 million people. Maintaining this programme has become even more crucial as households grapple with high inflation, rising living costs and a weakened local currency.
The government had aimed to buy between four and five million tons of wheat from local farmers during the 2024/25 season.
However, official figures show that procurement closed at around 3.9 million tons, well below the target. In late June, some collection centres were shut down after failing to attract enough deliveries, reflecting farmers’ reluctance to sell at government prices.
To encourage more supply, authorities raised the procurement price this year to between 2,250 and 2,350 Egyptian pounds per ardeb, (US$46.40 to US$48.50 ). While this represented a 7% increase from last season, many farmers preferred to sell to private buyers who could offer faster payments.
The shortfall in domestic procurement has left the government increasingly reliant on imports to safeguard food supplies. Total wheat imports into Egypt fell by nearly 30 percent in the first half of 2025 to about 5.2 million tons, covering both state and private purchases, according to the USDA.
State imports alone dropped more than 57 percent to just 1.5 million tons as foreign currency shortages limited tender activity. To cover the gap, Egypt has turned to France for at least 200,000 tons of wheat, with recent deals priced at around US$265 to US$275 per ton including freight. Additional cargoes are being sourced from Russia, Ukraine and Romania.
For the 2025/26 marketing year, the USDA projects Egypt’s imports at roughly 13 million tons, broadly unchanged from last season.
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