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.

While small local grocers dominate the Egyptian retail market, representing more than 50 percent of sales by value, convenience and price will continue to drive the majority of Egyptian consumer buying decisions, presenting growth opportunities across all retail channels.

Post forecasts Egypt’s MY 2025/26 cotton production at 320,000 bales, down 25 percent from the previous season due to a significant decrease in area harvested.

Egypt’s wheat imports for marketing year 2025/26 are estimated at 13.0 million metric tons, unchanged from Post’s estimate in the previous marketing year which was revised upward by 4 percent due to the availability of forex contributing to an increase in imports.

On March 12, 2025, the Government of Egypt (GoE) filed a ninth addendum to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) – G/TBT/N/EGY/313/Add.9 – informing interested parties that it was excluding imports of milk and dairy products from the scope of its Halal certification requirements.

Egypt is the leading aquaculture producer in Africa, producing approximately two MMT of fish annually. Aquaculture accounts for roughly 80 percent of Egypt’s fish production, primarily via private farms.

This report provides a synopsis of Egyptian trade shows attended by FAS/Cairo, USDA Cooperators, and State, Regional Trade Groups in 2024. It includes FAS/Cairo recommendations as to which in-country trade shows present the best opportunity for showcasing U.S. food and beverage exports in Egypt.

Tree nut production in Egypt is limited due to its climate and thus heavily relies upon imports. The top varieties for tree nut exports to Egypt include walnuts, almonds, and pistachios.

Egypt has released a pair of Government Decrees, several World Trade Organization notifications, and a revised Egyptian Standard in recent months on the shelf-life validity period for frozen beef liver and other products.

In MY2014/2015, Egypt’s total planted area to citrus will remain unchanged while total area harvested will increase by 1.7 percent due to better growing conditions.

Beef production is expected down in 2015, as slaughter is lower than the revised 2014 number, reflecting the expectation that the UAE’s cattle donation will not continue into the coming year.

Egypt was the first North African country to approve genetically engineered (GE) corn.