Egypt Government Negotiating Purchase of Serbian Wheat

In a bid to expand grain suppliers, Egypt's government is currently negotiating a purchase of 1 million tons of wheat from Serbia, according to Supply Minister Aly El-Moselhy.

The step aims to “diversify sources of wheat imports,” Supply Minister Aly El-Moselhy stated Wednesday, following a Serbian official visit to Egypt.

"Serbia is also expected to supply Egypt with corn for poultry feed," he added.

Egypt, which is one of the world’s top wheat importers, was impacted by a surge in wheat prices in the immediate wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sparking a push to pursue new origins.

It often imports 11 million tons or more per season and currently has strategic reserves covering 4.5 months of consumption, said Bloomberg.

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli met on Monday with former Serbian president Boris Tadić and his accompanying delegation to discuss the best ways to improve their cooperation.

During their meeting, Madbouli and Tadić pledged to further bolster bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, especially the agricultural sector.

They also talked about the effects of successive global developments, most notably the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine crisis, on economic conditions and the supply of food commodities to various countries of the world, according to a statement released by the Cabinet media center.

Moreover, they discussed the possibility of Serbia providing more quantities of wheat supplied to the Egyptian market amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the consequent global challenges.