July 11, 2011

Egypt's wheat production expected to rise thanks to new species

Egypt's wheat production this year reached about 8.5 million tonnes, and is expected to increase next year to 9-9.5 million tonnes, according to Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Ayman Abu Hadid.

Abu Hadid said in a statement that the rise in wheat production is due to increasing wheat prices, as well as species created in agricultural research centres for high productivity.

According to Abu Hadid, these species yield 24 ardebs (134.88 US bushels) per acre, compared to 18 ardebs per acre for the species currently cultivated.

Abu Hadid added that there was a need for grain silos to store nine million tonnes of wheat to overcome the losses, estimated at about 20% annually or 1.5 million tonnes, that occur due to open storage and transport.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese agricultural delegation announced that a 33,000-acre (13,355-hectare) area 450 kilometres north of the southern borders of Egypt was ready for planting grain crops and wheat as a preliminary step in the wheat cultivation project between Egypt and Sudan to cultivate wheat in Ad Damazin area, Sennar State, and River Nile State in north Sudan.

Fawzy Naeem, former president of the Agricultural Research Centre and head of the Egyptian delegation to Sudan, said that these areas come within the framework of three Sudanese projects: Gabriya, Bakrie, and Ahamdab.

He added that irrigation, electricity, and road networks were activated in the meantime, to be ready for use next season to grow wheat and other strategic crops, such as corn and oil crops, to fill the food gap in both countries.

Naeem said Egypt's contracts with Sudanese farmers will be in accordance with international prices, especially with regards to wheat and corn.