CAIRO — The Russian war on Ukraine has stirred Egypt’s fears and concerns of failing to secure its needed wheat imports. In 2021, 80% of Egypt’s wheat imports came from Russia and Ukraine.

The Egyptian government has been applying policies aimed to secure a safe rate of local wheat to meet 70% of the local needs and reduce reliance on imports. These policies have proved to be efficient in the current local wheat harvest season.

Before the start of the current agricultural season for the wheat crop in November 2021, Egypt’s government had set the procurement price at 820 Egyptian pounds ($44.60) per ardeb (331 pounds) for wheat bought by the government from local farmers, an increase of 15% over the previous year.

Amid the international tension caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its repercussions on Ukraine’s wheat exports, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi decided to grant an additional incentive to farmers, bringing the price of local wheat to 885 Egyptian pounds ($48) to encourage them to supply the largest possible amount to state storage silos. The move is expected to compensate for the deficit from the delay of any shipments of imported wheat.