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Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Strategies on sugar - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt has learned valuable lessons from the sugar crisis of 2023, ensuring adequate supplies of the strategic commodity this year. Egypt is the second-largest consumer of sugar globally, with per capita consumption reaching 34 kg per year, compared to three kg per person in Europe. This is why the sugar shortage, which began in November 2023 and spilled over to mid-2024, led the government to declare sugar a strategic commodity and to take stringent measures to prevent its recurrence. As part of the preparations for the 2024 sugarcane planting season, the government set the procurement price for sugarcane supplied to factories at LE2,500 per ton. The Sugar and Integrated Industries Company, a subsidiary of the Holding Company for Food Industries, announced that all factories were operational for the 2025 season and targeted to purchase six million tons of sugarcane. The sugarcane planting seasons take place from mid-March to the end of June and from mid-September to the end of November. Up until 23 February, the Sugar and Integrated Industries Company had received 2,637 million tons of sugarcane, resulting in the production of 275,000 tons of white sugar, said Sherif Farouk, minister of supply and internal trade, in late February. He noted that the sugar stock covered more than a year, enhancing food security and stabilising market prices. Somewhere between 320,000 and 350,000 feddans were planted with sugarcane during the past season, said Ayman Hosni, director of the Sugar Crops Institute. For sugar production, Egypt depends on sugar cane and beetroot, planted in Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, respectively, and avoiding any overlap in the cultivated areas, Hosni stated. Farmers grew more interested in planting sugarcane and improving yields following the 2023 shortage. At present, a feddan of sugarcane yields an average of 55 tons, with some areas achieving yields of 70 to 80 tons per feddan, he noted. Despite meeting local demand, Hosni said that Egypt is unlikely to achieve complete self-sufficiency in sugar due to the increasing population and demand for the commodity from several industries. He noted that sugar supports 33 related industries such as paper, honey, yeast, alcohol, organic acids, vinegar, plastics, and animal feed. He is confident, however, that the country can reduce the supply gap and ensure price stability. In 2022, the state ordered the construction of two sugarcane seedling production stations in Aswan's Kom Ombo and Wadi Al-Saayda at a cost of LE470 million, with the second costing LE350 million alone. One of the stations is undergoing trial production, while the second is still being commissioned. Instructions were given to accelerate the facilities' construction following the 2023 sugar shortage. Mustafa Selim, a consultant on tissue culture production for sugarcane seedlings who works in Upper Egypt, said that Egypt's sugar factories operate a number of their own farms, which supply part of their needs. The farms use modern technologies, including greenhouses and organic farming practices, and are equipped with tissue culture seedling production units. The cost of one unit may reach up to LE15 million, but the units are important for the production of high-quality sugarcane strains and higher quantities. Since 2024, demand for sugar has risen, as has interest among sugarcane farmers due to the increase in the guaranteed price set by the government and lucrative market prices. Demand has also increased on the part of juice producers and molasses and yeast manufacturers, whose products have almost doubled in price. Unlike state-owned companies, which purchase sugarcane by the ton, private buyers purchase by the feddan. Technologies used in seedling production reduce 30 per cent of production costs and increase yield by 40 per cent, allowing farmers to make attractive profits, Selim explained. He lauded the government's efforts at addressing the sugar shortage, its early announcement of indicative prices, and its decision to open the market to more industries allowing demand for sugarcane to increase and ensuring its availability in the local market. He urged the Ministry of Agriculture to incorporate tissue culture laboratories in seedling production stations, given their role in preserving crop varieties and improving productivity. He added that this technology can also be applied to other crops, including vegetables and fruits, whose seedlings could be produced in the same facilities. While the initial investment is high, the economic return is equally significant, he pointed out. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Daily News Egypt
21-07-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
PM Madbouly chairs meeting on developing Egypt's sugar sector
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Monday reviewed efforts to develop the country's sugar industry, with a focus on boosting local production and reducing reliance on imports, his office said in a statement. Madbouly chaired a meeting in the city of New Alamein attended by the ministers of supply and agriculture, as well as officials from the Future of Egypt for Sustainable Development Authority and the state-run Holding Company for Food Industries. The meeting discussed the state's strategy for growing the sugar industry, especially with the increase in sugar beet cultivation in areas managed by the Future of Egypt authority. It also covered the development of various industries linked to sugar production and opportunities to maximise their benefits. The prime minister's spokesperson, Mohamed El-Homsany, said the meeting aimed to ensure a stable supply of sugar for the local market, particularly in light of global supply chain challenges. The officials also discussed efforts to implement environmental remediation plans in various sugar factories across Egypt to comply with environmental standards and achieve sustainability. The challenges facing these factories and plans for future modernisation and expansion were also on the agenda. During the meeting, Salah Fathy, the managing director of the state-owned Sugar and Integrated Industries Company (SIIC), presented his company's capabilities and its factories that produce sugar from both sugarcane and sugar beet. He noted that SIIC owns eight sugarcane factories in the governorates of Minya, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, and Aswan, in addition to an integrated industrial complex in Giza that refines sugar and is involved in chemicals, distillation, perfumes, food industries, and the manufacturing of paper and wood from sugarcane waste. Fathy reviewed the company's sugar production volume and the capacity of its factories to utilise by-products from sugarcane and beet, including molasses, fodder, bagasse, and animal feed. These by-products are used to produce ethanol, yeast, bio-fertilizers, food-grade carbon dioxide, natural vinegar, folic acid, organic solvents, and organic fertilizers, as well as energy, particle board, pulp, paper, and MDF wood. He also presented the company's vision for increasing the productivity of sugarcane per acre and reaching the maximum capacity of its factories to meet the state's sugar needs and increase the financial returns for farmers.
Daily News Egypt
15-06-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Supply Minister reviews strategic stock of basic commodities to ensure availability
Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, held a high-level meeting with senior officials of the Holding Company for Food Industries to assess the status of Egypt's strategic stock of essential commodities. The session focused on monitoring supply levels, production rates, and the efficiency of the distribution network. This initiative aligns with the state's continued efforts to secure citizens' needs, support market stability, and strengthen national food security. During the meeting, officials reviewed inventory levels across warehouses managed by the Holding Company and affiliated wholesale companies. Discussions also covered the regularity of supply flows from producers and suppliers to these warehouses, as well as the performance of logistics and distribution systems serving sales outlets—including consumer complexes, the 'Gam'eyati' initiative, and ration card grocers nationwide. Minister Farouk underscored the importance of maintaining high operational readiness, closely tracking daily supply flows, and safeguarding a robust strategic reserve—especially in light of ongoing global and regional economic challenges. He stressed the need to enhance the trading and distribution framework to ensure timely and accessible delivery of goods to citizens. The Minister also called for stronger coordination between the Holding Company and its subsidiaries, along with deepened partnerships with suppliers and producers, to uphold stable supply chains and maintain the highest standards of service, quality, and discipline.
Al-Ahram Weekly
28-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt state-owned food giant HCFI launches online sales on Amazon Egypt - Society
Egypt's Holding Company for Food Industries (HCFI), the country's largest state-owned food conglomerate, has begun selling its products via Amazon Egypt in a move that signals a broader push towards digital retail and public-private collaboration. The move marks a significant shift for the state-owned behemoth, which operates under the Ministry of Supply and oversees 22 specialized production firms, alongside stakes in several others. According to a statement reported by Ahram Arabic Gate, the initiative aims to increase accessibility to HCFI's wide-ranging product portfolio — including food items, personal care products, and other consumer goods — by tapping into the growing reach of e-commerce. 'The collaboration underscores the importance of private sector partnerships and the adoption of modern digital marketing strategies,' the company said. HCFI stressed its intention to deliver high-quality, Egyptian-made goods to a broader consumer base, and reiterated its commitment to future partnerships with major commercial players and global e-commerce platforms. The move also aligns with Egypt's wider digital transformation agenda, which includes modernizing distribution networks and promoting locally produced goods in online marketplaces. Online shopping has seen rapid growth in Egypt, driven by rising internet penetration and shifting consumer behaviour. The country's e-commerce market was valued at $9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $18.5 billion by 2029, according to Amazon Egypt CEO Omar El-Sahy in comments to Asharq Bloomberg. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
21-04-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Supply Min. Cuts Prices of Frozen Poultry, Eggs on Occasion of Sham El Nessim
Taarek Refaat Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade directed the Holding Company for Food Industries to cut the prices of some essential commodities that are in high demand during this period, including eggs, and frozen poultry. The price of a kilogram of frozen poultry will be reduced from EGP 135 to EGP 125, while the price of a tray of eggs (30 eggs) will be reduced from EGP 150 to EGP 120. These quantities will be available at all branches of the Holding Company for Food Industries' consumer complexes nationwide. This step comes within the framework of the Ministry's strategy to control markets and provide basic food commodities at high quality and reasonable prices, especially during holiday seasons and official occasions that witness increased consumption rates. 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 Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Arts & Culture Arwa Gouda Gets Married (Photos)
