Browse Data and Analysis

FAS/Cairo (Post) forecasts Egypt’s soybean imports in marketing year (MY) 2025/26 (October – September) to increase by 5.0 percent from the previous marketing driven by a flexible exchange rate, the availability of forex and a more positive outlook for the livestock sectors.

In October 2024, the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) authorized imports of genetically engineered (GE) soybeans for food, feed, and processing. GE soybean imports are expected to resume in 2025, boosting prospects that the 1.5-million-ton import forecast for 2024/25 will be achieved.

While there is still considerable uncertainty regarding implementation, in January 2024 the government approved a system allowing for the resumption of genetically engineered commodity imports.

Tunisian MY 2024/25 soybean imports are expected to reach 555,000 MT, compared to 550,000 MT in MY 2023/24 as demand for animal feed increases slightly.

Egyptian traders and crushers continue to demand sustainability and quality of supply, both of which are key features of U.S.-origin soybean. This demand produced another record year for U.S.-origin soybean exports to Egypt with 4.07 MMT in exports, was by far Egypt’s largest supplier of soybeans in marketing year 2021/22.

As of March 2023, Pakistani authorities still ban genetically engineered (GE) oilseed imports. While they have made some progress in developing a system to allow for GE oilseed imports, uncertainty regarding when that system will be operative clouds the outlook for oilseed imports.

Due to the recent ban on genetically engineered (GE) commodity imports, the 2022/23 soybean import forecast is reduced from 2.5 to 1.2 million tons. With the lower expected soybean imports, 2022/23 crush and soybean meal output is reduced accordingly.

The 2021 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world.

Marketing year 2020/21 was another record year for U.S.-origin soybean exports to Egypt. The United States, with 2.53 MMT in exports, was Egypt’s largest supplier of soybeans. Egypt’s soybean imports in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 (October-September) are forecast at 4.0 million metric tons (MMT), up 400,000 MT from the MY 2021/22 estimate.

Due to the poultry industry’s slow recovery and sluggish consumer demand for edible oils, no significant growth in oilseed and edible oil use is forecast for 2022/23. Likewise, soybean, canola, and palm oil imports in 2022/23 are forecast to remain similar to 2021/22 levels.

Tunisian MY 2022/23 soybean imports are expected to reach 560,000 MT, compared to 555,000 MT in MY 2021/22. Tunisian olive oil exports are forecast to reach 135,000 MT in MY 2022/23, compared to 200,000 MT in MY 2021/22.

Only limited growth in soybean and vegetable oil imports is forecast for 2021/22. Rising prices and changes in taxation policies are hindering demand for meal from the poultry sector and capping growth in edible oil demand.