Egyptian Mercantile Exchange to Launch Trading in Three New Commodities in H1

The Egyptian Mercantile Exchange (EMX) plans to begin trading three new commoditiesو durum wheat, sugar, and dates, during the first half of the year, as part of broader efforts to revive activity on the platform and deepen Egypt’s organized commodity markets.

Zakaria Hamza, Chief Executive Officer of the EMX, told Bloomberg that the move aims to expand the exchange’s product base and strengthen price discovery mechanisms for key agricultural goods.

The most recent active trading sessions for strategic commodities on the exchange took place in the final quarter of 2023, when wheat, sugar, yellow corn, and soybeans were traded. Since then, activity has slowed considerably, with the latest recorded trades, limited to wheat bran, taking place in September 2025, according to data published on the exchange’s website.

Launched with significant optimism, the EMX was designed to create a transparent, organized marketplace governed by supply and demand dynamics. Policymakers view the exchange as a tool to help stabilize prices, improve market efficiency, and generate foreign currency inflows by attracting international buyers seeking Egyptian commodities for export.

Hamza said the planned introduction of durum wheat, used primarily in pasta production, alongside sugar and dates, aligns with Egypt’s comparative advantages in agricultural production and food processing.

Speaking on the sidelines of signing a cooperation agreement between the Egyptian Mercantile Exchange and the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange of Russia, Hamza said Egypt aims to become the first country globally to trade dates on a commodities exchange.

Egypt ranks as the world’s largest producer of dates, with annual output of around 1.8 million tonnes, accounting for approximately 19% of global production, according to official data. Saudi Arabia and Algeria follow Egypt in global rankings.

Hamza also said the exchange will continue trading wheat bran and is set to resume trading confiscated gold seized by customs authorities on February 10, following a suspension that lasted several months.

On cooperation with the Russian exchange, Hamza explained that the linkage will be implemented in three phases: starting with the exchange of technical expertise, followed by reciprocal visits, and ultimately progressing to organized commodity trading between the two platforms. He noted that Russia was selected as a partner due to its position as one of the world’s largest grain producers.

In January 2025, Egypt’s Mostakbal Misr Authority acquired a controlling 52.8% stake in the EMX, becoming its largest shareholder. The Ministry of Supply holds 21.9%, followed by the Egyptian Exchange at around 9%. Other shareholders include EFG Holding, CI Capital, and state-owned banks such as National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, and the Agricultural Bank of Egypt.

Despite the slowdown in trading activity, the exchange remains central to government planning.