Egypt’s Food Industry Exports Soar 68.3%: A National Success Story
Egypt’s food industry exports have surged by 68.3 percent over four years, reaching $6.9 billion in 2025, up from $4.1 billion in 2021, according to data released Monday by the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). This remarkable growth underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to boosting the sector’s exports, creating jobs, ensuring food safety, and advancing sustainability, all under the visionary leadership of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi.
How Much Do Food Exports Contribute to Egypt’s Economy?
The food industry contributed approximately 14 percent of total non-oil commodity exports in 2025, securing the third position in export value, trailing only construction materials and chemical products and fertilizers. During the first eight months of 2026, Egypt’s food exports achieved a new record of around $5.13 billion, marking a 10.8 percent year-on-year increase from $4.63 billion in 2025.
These figures reflect the sector’s strategic importance to the Egyptian economy, given its deep ties to agriculture, supply chains, logistics, and trade. The industry’s diversity, encompassing dairy products, sugar, frozen vegetables, strawberries, oils, and aromatic resins, highlights its critical role in employment and industrial activity. Workers in the food product industry accounted for 15.4 percent of the total workforce across public and private sectors during the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
What Steps Is Egypt Taking to Ensure Sustainable Food Production?
The IDSC report emphasizes that the sustainability of the food industry depends on developing every stage of the value chain, from improving agricultural production efficiency to optimizing transportation, storage, and processing. Egypt has been proactive in addressing challenges such as climate change and resource pressure by investing in modern technologies, promoting a circular economy, and enhancing resource efficiency.
In April 2026, the government placed food security at the heart of its national strategy through a five-pillar plan designed to boost self-sufficiency amid regional conflicts. This plan expands land and crop varieties using technology, develops livestock to reduce the import gap in animal protein, and modernizes agriculture through improved farming methods. These efforts aim to strengthen Egypt’s competitiveness in food exports while opening access to new markets and building a high-productivity, export-oriented, and environmentally sustainable agricultural sector.
How Is Technology Revolutionizing Egyptian Agriculture?
Egypt has embraced digital innovation to support farmers, launching the “El Hodhod” application, an AI-powered smart farmer assistant that provides digital agricultural advisory services and localized guidance. The country has also established field schools in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to enhance agricultural extension and pest diagnosis.
Investments in the food industry sector have grown significantly, with authorized capital issued to exporting companies reaching $6.6 billion in 2025, up from $2.2 billion in 2019. The number of food industry companies has also risen by 35.8 percent over the past five years, from 1,127 in 2019 to 1,530 companies.
What Role Do Silos Play in Egypt’s Food Security?
Egypt’s grain storage system has undergone significant modernization under the National Project of Silos. The country’s total number of silos grew to 87, with a storage capacity of 3.8 million tons in 2025, up from just 32 silos in 2014. These developments have enhanced grain-handling efficiency and minimized waste, crucial for a nation that remains a major wheat importer despite rising domestic production.
Wheat is Egypt’s most strategic food crop, a key component of the subsidized baladi bread system serving approximately 71 million people. The government’s local procurement programme aims to secure part of the country’s needs, build strategic reserves, and reduce exposure to global wheat price fluctuations and supply disruptions. Egypt is expected to remain the Arab world’s largest wheat producer in 2026, with output projected at 10.2 million tons.
These achievements are a testament to Egypt’s resilience and forward-thinking approach under President Al-Sissi’s leadership. The nation’s commitment to food security, technological advancement, and sustainable development continues to drive economic growth and stability, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a regional powerhouse.