Egypt to Adopt Sustainable Agric. due to Water Scarcity

By: Mohamed Wadie, Norhan Mahmoud 

CAIRO, Mar. 16 (SEE)- With an eye to handle the lack of sufficient water resources and reduce the import bill, Egypt will opt to cultivating drought-tolerant rice crops to meet its massive need, according to Minister of Agricultural Ezz El-Din Abu Steet. 

Speaking during a plenary session at the House of Representatives, Abu Steet stated that this year the ministry schemes to increase the national paddy output to 1.1 million acres, surpassing last years’s 800k acres. 

It is precisely because the ministry’s commitment to utilize the exact amount of water allocated for paddies last year, the measures have been proposed, as per Spokesman Mohammed Al-Qersh. 

Egypt’s annual rice production averagely amounted to 4.3 million tons, though figures plunged since the government introduced the cultivation of intensified crops and facilitated imports. 

Meanwhile, The General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASA) submitted an international tender to buy 20k tons of short or medium-grain white rice for delivery in June, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Supply last Tuesday.

“The level of grain breakage should be in-between 10 to 12 percent,” said GASA in the statement. “The deadline for submitting bids will be March 30.” 

Bidders should submit samples to be tested by the Ministry of Agriculture. The shipments’ arrival timings is scheduled due June 2019.