Improving Agricultural Market Performance:
Developing Agricultural Market Information Systems
70
Table 6: Output of Selected Major Egyptian Agricultural Crops (Tonnes)
Commodity Subcategory 2013 Main markets
Cereals Maize 7,956,593 Domestic
Rice 5,724,106 Mostly domestic
Wheat 9,460,200 Domestic
Sugar Beet 10,044,266 Mostly domestic, some refined, pulp and molasses
exported
Cane 15,780,005 Mostly domestic, some refined, pulp and molasses
exported
Food legumes Broad beans 157,639 Domestic
Green beans 257,469 Domestic
Peas 190,127 Domestic
Fresh fruit Apples 629,613 Domestic
Bananas 1,158,224 Domestic
Dates 1,328,468 Domestic
Grapes 1,434,666 Mostly domestic
Mangoes 712,537 Domestic
Melon 924,768 Domestic
Olives 541,790 Mostly domestic
Oranges 2,855,022 Domestic and export (fresh and juice)
Peaches 281,119 Domestic and export
Fibres Cotton 435,000 Mostly domestic
Fresh
vegetables Artichokes 304,298 Domestic
Cabbage 555,474 Domestic
Chillies and green peppers 565,424 Domestic
Cucumber 504,558 Domestic
Eggplants 1,246,707 Domestic
Garlic 234,164 Domestic
Onions 1,093,230 Domestic, some exported dry
Potatoes 4,265,178 Mostly domestic but substantial export
Pumpkins 494,664 Domestic
Tomatoes 8,290,551 Domestic
Livestock/meat Eggs 470,863 Domestic
Beef (all types) 888,182 Domestic
Buffalo (all types) 779,619 Domestic
Chicken (all types) 1,786,842 Domestic
Aquaculture* All types 1,137,000 Domestic
Dairy Butter (buffalo & cow) 121,900 Domestic
Cheese (buffalo & cow) 374,750 Mostly domestic, some export
Milk (cow) 2,908,071 Domestic
Source: FAOSTATS and representatives of government and donor agencies interviewed during visit to Egypt.* = 2014 figure
Recent significant macroeconomic adjustments, including the depreciation of the Egyptian
Pound, have encouraged a strong focus on exports (Torchia and Aboulenein, 2016). This has, to
some extent, led to a dual agricultural economy with a relatively technology led and
international food-safety compliant export sector and a largely traditional and non-compliant
domestic sector. Sectors considered as strategic, such as wheat, have significant government
policy engagement, including maintenance of guaranteed minimum prices and pan-territorial
farmgate pricing.
FAO/EBRD (2015) reports that the government buys all wheat at a price higher than the import
parity price and this tends to discourage production of other crops such as potatoes, onions and
forage. The government controls the price and organises all imports to make up for domestic
shortfalls. Subsidies occur along the value chain from fertilizer to rationed ‘baladi’ bread given
to 65 million Egyptians through a ration card system at a fraction of the free market price.
Information about the wheat floor price is disseminated throughout the country through media,