India, China Continue to Dominate Egypt's Cotton Exports
The global demand for Egyptian cotton remains robust, with India and China continuing their dominance in the export market.
From September 2024 to mid-July 2025, a total of 35.9 thousand tons of Egyptian seedless cotton (short-staple cotton) were exported to 17 Asian and European countries.
According to a recent report from the Cotton Exporters Union of Alexandria, India led the charge by importing a significant 22,000 tons of Egyptian cotton. China followed closely behind, importing 5.75 thousand tons, while Pakistan imported around 3.8 thousand tons.
The Top Export Destinations
In addition to India and China, several other countries have shown interest in Egyptian cotton:
Switzerland: 1,000 tons
Vietnam: 572 tons
Turkey: 575 tons
Bangladesh: 458 tons
Djibouti: 300 tons
Thailand: 109 tons
Bahrain: 205 tons
Italy: 108 tons
Germany: 491 tons
Portugal: 96 tons
Mexico: 47 tons
Malaysia: 5 tons
Japan: 12 tons
Indonesia: 75 tons
The report highlighted that Egyptian cotton exports are categorized into various types, with a strong focus on long-staple cotton varieties, especially the Giza 98, 95, 94, and 86 strains. In total, 32,500 tons of these long-staple cotton varieties were exported. Additionally, around 3.4 thousand tons of extra-long staple cotton varieties, such as Giza 93, 92, 96, 87, and 43, were shipped out to international markets.
Notably, Giza 43 and Giza 93 are cultivated using organic methods, making them highly sought after in specialized markets, particularly in Germany, where these varieties are exported under specific contracts.
Cotton Farming and Government Support
The total area of land allocated for cotton cultivation in the 2024-2025 season is estimated to be around 311,000 feddans. In an effort to support local farmers, the government had initially set a guaranteed price for cotton at EGP 12,000 per qintar (a traditional unit of weight for cotton) in March of the previous year. However, the price was later reduced to EGP 10,000 per qintar.
The auction process had originally started with a price of EGP 12,000 or the global price, whichever was higher. However, due to decreased demand from private companies, the government agreed to reduce the starting price to EGP 10,000 to attract more bidders.
Despite the reduced starting price for cotton auctions, Egyptian cotton exports have faced a downturn. A report reveals that the quantity of cotton exports in the current year has dropped by approximately 70% compared to the same period last year.
This decline is attributed to the higher opening prices at auctions earlier in the season, which led to a reduced participation rate from companies. The government's decision to lower the starting price by EGP 2,000 per qintar has been viewed as a positive step to boost the cotton export sector.
read more
CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion
Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect
Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document
Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister
Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years
Business
Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves
Business
Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue
Business
Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday
Business
Wheat delivery season commences on April 15
News
Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters
News
China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier
Arts & Culture
"Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date
Sports
Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer
Videos & Features
Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall
Lifestyle
Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt
Arts & Culture
South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle
News
"Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence"
Sports
Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
News
Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
See - Sada Elbalad
33 minutes ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt, Brazil Urge Ceasefire in Gaza
Nada Mustafa Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration, Badr Abdelatty, met on Monday with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held in New York. The two ministers discussed the close relations between their friendly countries and emphasized the importance of building on the positive momentum witnessed in bilateral relations in political and economic spheres. This momentum was reflected in the meeting between the President of Egypt and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in November 2024, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, and the signing of the 'Strategic Partnership' document between the two nations. Both ministers expressed their aspiration to expand bilateral cooperation across various fields and explore new opportunities that serve the interests of the two countries and their peoples. The meeting also addressed the developments in the Gaza Strip and Egypt's efforts to reach a ceasefire and halt the blatant crimes and violations committed by Israel against Palestinian civilians, as well as to end the humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Moreover, the two ministers stressed the importance of exerting all possible efforts to swiftly reach a comprehensive ceasefire agreement that would enable the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid to the Strip and stop Israel's repeated violations. Abdelatty also reviewed the latest developments regarding Egypt's hosting of the International Conference on Early Recovery and Reconstruction in Gaza, which aims to implement the Arab-Islamic plan for the reconstruction of the Strip. Furthermore, he underscored the importance of continued coordination between the two friendly countries and the need to persist in mobilizing international support for the realization of a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt car market reversed course after prices plunged, supply rebounded: Experts - Markets & Companies
After years of soaring prices, shortages, and market distortions, Egypt's automotive sector is witnessing a dramatic shift, with car prices falling across key segments. The notorious 'overprice' premiums have nearly vanished, and industry players are betting big on local manufacturing. Experts say the trend is not a passing phase but the start of a structural realignment that could reshape the market through 2026. For Egyptian consumers long burdened by inflated vehicle prices and limited options, the tide appears to be turning. According to leading industry figures, car prices in Egypt have dropped significantly since early 2025, with expectations of continued declines driven by currency stabilization, increased imports, stronger domestic production, and strategic policy interventions. 'Between 15 to 18 brands have lowered their prices, some by as much as 20 percent. This includes major players like Citroën, which slashed prices by over 10 percent, and SsangYong, which cut prices by nearly 23 percent,' Osama Abu El-Magd, head of the Egyptian Automotive Dealers Association, told Ahram Online. This downward trajectory coincides with a surge in investment from automotive companies. Five major manufacturers have announced plans to invest more than $600 million over the next year, aiming to triple domestic production capacity from 95,000 to around 260,000 vehicles annually. These expansions are expected to reduce reliance on imports and increase market competitiveness. Currency stability rebuilds confidence The easing of foreign currency restrictions and the stabilization of the Egyptian pound were pivotal in restoring market dynamics. 'The resumption of letters of credit and access to hard currency enabled importers to restock adequately,' said Amr Soliman, a member of the Automotive Committee at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce. 'That was the turning point. We've since seen five new models launched, and with Nasr Automotive's plant coming online soon, supply is poised to grow further,' he added. Weakened demand drives price cuts While supply factors have played a significant role, a drop in consumer demand due to inflationary pressure also helped push prices downward. 'In the second quarter of 2025, demand softened considerably. This forced distributors to offer more competitive pricing to clear inventory, especially as new brands entered the market, intensifying competition,' Soliman said. Meanwhile, the normalization of maritime logistics through the Red Sea and falling shipping costs have eased price pressures. Previously, high transport costs were a major driver of car price inflation. Now, supply chains have recovered significantly, contributing to cost reductions. Additionally, domestic production has become a game-changer. Five new vehicle assembly plants were launched in the past seven months, according to Abu El-Magd, particularly impacting vehicles priced under EGP 1.5 million. 'This created a new layer of price competition, leading to price drops of up to 20 percent on some models. We're also seeing a significant increase in the availability of affordable vehicles, which has reshaped market expectations,' he explained. However, higher-end segments, those priced above EGP 1.5 million, remain less affected due to limited competition. The slump in new car prices has had a stark effect on used vehicles, which have seen a value decline of over 20 percent. 'When a brand-new 2025 model sells for EGP 720,000, and a 2016 used model is EGP 700,000, the choice is obvious. This dynamic has weakened demand for used cars considerably,' Abu El-Magd told Ahram Online. Government strategy: From burden to export At the heart of the transformation is Egypt's national strategy to localize the auto industry. Backed by direct presidential support, the plan aims to reduce the sector's drag on the trade balance and instead turn it into a net exporter of vehicles and components. The strategy includes production incentives starting from 10,000 vehicles annually, direct subsidies of up to EGP 50,000 per car, depending on price tier, support for feeder industries, and regulatory reforms to remove investment barriers. Still, structural hurdles persist, including customs duties on essential components, multi-stage value-added tax (VAT) collection, which burdens liquidity, and development fees of up to 8.5 percent on vehicles over 2,000cc. 'To make local manufacturing truly competitive, these burdens must be eased. Tying incentives to export performance would also raise the global profile of Egyptian-made vehicles,' Soliman stated. Outlook: Sustained price decline through 2026 Both Soliman and Abu El-Magd agree that current trends are not short-lived. With 10 new factories expected to be operational by the end of the year and local production capacity expanding, car prices are expected to continue their decline into 2026. 'We are entering a new era in Egypt's automotive market, defined by local manufacturing and fair competition. This is good news not only for consumers but for the broader economy,' said Abu El-Magd. 'Exchange rate stability, increased supply, stronger competition, and state support have eliminated overpricing and driven down costs. The key to sustaining this progress lies in deepening local industry incentives and removing remaining barriers to expansion,' Soliman concluded. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
CairoScene
8 hours ago
- CairoScene
Egyptian Label 69-R7r7a Intends to Stay Slow & Locally Rooted
Egyptian Label 69-R7r7a Intends to Stay Slow & Locally Rooted When you go through 69-R7r7a's online store, you might notice a general sense of lawless nonchalance in their growing portfolio. This impression is not particularly bound by any concrete aspect of their clothing, except for the fact that a good portion of their catalogue assumes a relaxed fit; it's more in the very philosophy 69-R7r7a embodies. Like, this is the brand that broke the Egyptian corner of the internet with a full-length coat made entirely out of a traditional grandma's coverlet (more commonly, a 'coverta'), and didn't even bat an eye. Throughout my sinuous conversation with the 69-R7r7a founders, held over a choppy online meeting throughout which Jomana ElBendary and Youssef Gamal traded a phone between them while the other put out business-related fires, I realised the relaxedness of their brand was a reflection of their dynamic. The two founders met at the entrance exam for the Fine Arts program at Helwan University, and despite not immediately developing a friendship, they both developed a deep-rooted respect for each other's art. At around the same time, Gamal was starting his oversized clothing brand in 2018 (yep, way before the hype) under the name 69-R7r7a, while ElBendary made tie-dye and accessories. Two years after they both shut down their businesses, ElBendary was exploring new artistic fronts, this time of a more musical nature. 'I was on the hunt for a specific look that I just couldn't find anywhere - and we already knew how to make things. So I reached out to Gamal and said, 'Why don't we revive and repurpose 69-R7r7a?'' And just like that, 69-R7r7a as we know it - a brand that often revives and repurposes clothing at the end of its life - was itself reborn. 'When I think of 69-R7r7a, I think of it as less of a label and more of a space where we can create art, and give life to garments and objects that would otherwise be in a landfill,' says Gamal. 'That art just made its way, naturally, to fashion.' The art Gamal refers to is evident in the pieces 69-R7r7a crafts, and it's wildly unique from anything else on the market. You see, 69-R7r7a doesn't follow a brand manual, there's no 'inspo' Pinterest board. The brand is adamant on avoiding the common regional brand pitfall of wanting to mimic a collection or general creative direction that's already in existence somewhere in the West. It's not an 'Oh, I wish we had that in Egypt' situation; it's entirely novel. 'We refuse to associate with Pinterest at all,' ElBendary tells us. 'It stifles our creativity. If you copy someone else's painting, that doesn't make you an artist, does it?' 69-R7r7a's rejection of mood boards as a concept is also rooted in the fact that most of the content they could get inspiration from would be entirely Western; it's art created from Western inspiration by Western people. It just didn't reflect them. Instead, 69-R7r7a's 'inspo' board is what they can see in their day-to-day life in Cairo, and what they have seen growing up. That's how the 'coverta' line happened. 'We grew up surrounded by coverlets,' Gamal says. 'They're kind of like cultural symbols now. This is a memory we all share. When we restarted 69-R7r7a, we honestly felt like they provoked us to do something with them, so I borrowed one from my mum to experiment with.' Gamal believes that the mundane familiarity of the coverlet, the way our eyes are used to seeing it, is what made it such an insistent project. His mum was not happy to lose her coverlet. The 'coverta' coat, like the rest of the 69-R7r7a catalogue, was made by hand. Everything from the sewing pattern to the lining to the finishing is made by ElBendary and Gamal in their studio. In fact, when they first started out, they didn't even have a sewing machine, their pieces were entirely hand-sewn. Now, they use Gamal's grandmother's sewing machine. In Gamal's words, 'The only thing made in a factory is the clothing tags, and we attach them to our pieces by hand.' 69-R7r7a intends to maintain its slow production process; it's an integral aspect of the brand's identity, it allows them to think extensively about each individual piece they put out. Every stitch, every fabric choice is completely intentional. The very fact that ElBendary and Gamal design the patterns themselves ensures that these are clothes made to fit Egyptian bodies, instead of a mannequin modelled to the silhouette of a Western figure. Besides, 69-R7r7a became what it is today thanks to a fierce rejection of the mass production of clothing. 'We believe that the clothes you wear not only reflect your identity. They also shape it. It's slow, minute change, but it accumulates over time. Who would want their identity to be mass-produced?' Because every 69-R7r7a piece is an entire artistic endeavour on its own, the founders view them as heirlooms. 'We create our pieces to be immortal. We want them to be passed down through generations, the way a valuable tapestry or painting is kept in the family. They're wearable art.'
