Egypt has bought a record amount of domestically grown wheat this season, in a move designed to strengthen the country's food security and support its own farmers. The North African nation has purchased a record 4.6 million metric tonnes of local wheat, a figure that already marks a high point for the season and signals a clear shift in strategy.
Officials say the country is now on track to achieve its target of 5 million tonnes by mid-August. Reaching that goal would represent a significant step in Egypt's drive to lean more heavily on its own harvest, rather than relying solely on the international market to feed its population.
The surge in domestic purchases follows major government reforms, including sharp price increases for farmers. By making it more financially attractive to sell their grain to the state, the authorities have encouraged producers to bring more of their wheat to official channels, helping to push the procurement figures to record levels.
Those incentives come at a cost. The state is currently paying around 320 dollars per tonne, a price that sits well above international levels, which stand at roughly 235 to 240 dollars per tonne. The premium reflects Cairo's willingness to pay more in order to keep farmers planting wheat and to build up its domestic supplies.
Even with the record local harvest, Egypt remains one of the world's top wheat importers. The country typically buys around 10 million tonnes a year on the global market, underlining just how much grain it needs and why boosting domestic production has become such a priority for the government.
Much of that wheat goes toward sustaining a bread subsidy program that serves some 70 million people, making the grain a deeply sensitive political and social commodity. By securing a record domestic crop while continuing to import, Egypt is trying to shore up a system that millions of its citizens depend on for an affordable daily staple.