Egypt’s Wheat Imports Drop 17% in First 9.5 Months of 2025

Egypt’s wheat imports fell by 17% from the beginning of 2025 through mid-October compared to the same period last year, according to customs data.

The country imported 10.074 million tons of wheat during the first nine and a half months of 2025, down from 12.129 million tons over the same period in 2024, reflecting lower foreign purchases despite Egypt’s status as one of the world’s largest wheat importers.

Government entities accounted for 44.8% of total wheat imports, while private companies handled the remaining share, the data showed.

In the first half of October 2025, Egypt imported 1.211 million tons of wheat, up from 967,600 tons in the same period last year, signaling a modest rebound after several months of slowdown.

Russia maintained its position as Egypt’s primary wheat supplier, representing 70.7% of total imports in early October. Ukraine followed with 20%, underscoring the ongoing dominance of Black Sea grain in Egypt’s import mix.

The highest volume of wheat imports was recorded in February 2025, totaling 1.551 million tons, before tapering off in subsequent months. Imports then recovered in September, as both public and private buyers resumed purchases ahead of the new local planting season.

Hisham Suleiman, head of Midstar Grain Trading said to CNN that the decline in wheat imports was largely driven by rising global wheat prices and a sharp drop in white flour exports following new government regulations.

Earlier this year, Egypt required exporters of certain goods,  including white flour,  to deposit 100% of foreign-currency proceeds into local banks, a measure intended to boost foreign reserves but one that reduced exporters’ flexibility.

Egypt had expanded white flour exports in 2024, shipping about 1.5 million tons, largely benefiting from Turkey’s temporary absence from the global market.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects Egypt to produce 10.14 million tons of wheat in the 2025–2026 season, slightly higher than last year’s harvest of 10.09 million tons.

The wheat planting season in Egypt begins in November and concludes with the harvest in April.

Domestic wheat consumption is projected to rise to 22.37 million tons for 2025/26, an increase of 330,600 tons from the prior season, according to USDA estimates. To bridge the supply gap, Egypt will likely need to import around 13.99 million tons of wheat during the current marketing year.

While Egypt continues to promote local wheat production through subsidies and land expansion programs, the country remains heavily dependent on imports to meet consumption needs for its subsidized bread program, a politically sensitive cornerstone of its food security policy.