Wheat and Maize Remain Challenges
Egypt is strengthening its drive for greater food self-sufficiency, with the government reporting near-complete domestic coverage in poultry and full self-sufficiency in eggs, fresh milk, rice and sugar, while expanding production of strategic crops such as wheat and maize to reduce its dependence on imports.
Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk said in September that food security and rural development remain national priorities, with the government combining land reclamation, higher farm productivity, scientific research and digital technology to narrow the country’s food import gap. Egypt has also been expanding modern irrigation and water-reuse infrastructure to support agricultural production in new farming areas.
The livestock and poultry sector has recorded particularly strong domestic production. Government figures put poultry self-sufficiency at 98 percent, while eggs and fresh milk are reported to have reached full self-sufficiency. Fresh milk production reached about 7 million tonnes in 2025, while broiler production rose to 1.6 billion birds and table-egg production reached 16 billion eggs, according to Egypt’s livestock development strategy.
Rice and sugar are also among the commodities for which the government reports full domestic self-sufficiency. These gains form part of a wider strategy focused on expanding production, improving yields and strengthening the country's ability to meet domestic food demand from local agriculture rather than relying heavily on overseas suppliers.
Wheat, however, remains a much larger challenge. Egypt is expected to produce about 10 million tonnes of wheat in 2026, nearly 7 percent above the average, following an expansion in planted area and stronger incentives for farmers. The government increased its procurement price to EGP2,500 per ardab (approximately US$48) and had purchased about 4.7 million tonnes from domestic farmers by mid-June.
Despite the improvement, domestic production is not enough to satisfy consumption. FAO forecasts Egypt's wheat import requirement for the 2026/27 marketing year at about 13.5 million tonnes, meaning imported wheat will continue to play a major role in the country's food supply.
Maize presents an even wider supply gap because of its importance in animal feed. Egypt's 2026/27 maize import requirement is forecast at 15.5 million tonnes, around 60 percent above the historical average, driven largely by demand from the country's expanding poultry, livestock and aquaculture industries.
To close these gaps, Egypt is expanding contract farming, distributing certified seeds and encouraging high-yielding and water-efficient varieties. The government's agricultural development plan also targets wider use of contract farming for crops including wheat and yellow maize, alongside improvements in irrigation, storage and agricultural extension.
Land expansion remains another pillar of the strategy. Egypt is developing major agricultural projects including the 2.2 million-feddan (about 924,000 hectares) New Delta project, the 1.1 million-feddan (about 462,000 hectares)Toshka project and a 456,000-feddan (about 191,520 hectares) North and Central Sinai development, while also expanding agricultural wastewater treatment and modern irrigation systems.
NBF Insight
Egypt's food-security strategy is about closing specific gaps rather than pursuing self-sufficiency in every commodity at the same pace.
High domestic production of poultry, eggs, milk, rice and sugar provides a stronger foundation, but wheat and maize demonstrate where the country's food system remains exposed to international markets.
The maize challenge is particularly important because imported feed affects the cost of poultry, livestock and aquaculture production. Increasing local maize yields could therefore have an impact well beyond the crop itself.
Egypt's approach combines land expansion, improved seeds, contract farming, irrigation, livestock development and agricultural research. The broader lesson is that food self-sufficiency is not achieved simply by producing more food; it requires building the production systems, infrastructure and farmer incentives needed to make strategic commodities more competitive and reliable.
For Egypt, the next phase of food security may therefore depend less on achieving a single national self-sufficiency figure and more on systematically reducing the largest gaps in its food import basket.
