A total of 2.843 million feddans are planted with wheat this season, excluding six governorates, according to a Tuesday report by the Agriculture Ministry.
Wheat farms are yet to be measured in Beheira, Gharbia, Alexandria, Kafr el-Sheikh, Dakahlia and Matrouh as the planting was delayed because of rainfall in these governorates.
The government is closely observing farms that grow wheat to assist in any problem related to fertilizers to reduce the goods gap in Egypt by increase wheat product.
For every feddan of wheat, an Egyptian farmer will be granted 1,300 EGP ($166) in subsidies before the harvest season to encourage cultivation of the crop, Supply Minister Khaled Hanafy told Youm7.
The cash will be dispensed in February, Hanafy said, adding that the private sector will buy the local wheat at a relatively high price, reflecting positively on farmers.
Egypt is the world’s largest wheat imported, with traditional bread being a staple in Egyptian meals. It has imported tons of wheat in the past few months from Russia, France and Romania to secure subsidized bread and to prevent high prices offered by the private sector over wheat-based production.
It also announced establishing several wheat silos to prevent the loss of tons of local wheat every year.
