Egypt bans export of key staples to cushion blow of Ukraine war
To contain the repercussions of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Egypt banned for three months the export of wheat, flour, rice, pasta, oils and beans.
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the world’s two largest wheat exporters, is threatening food security in many countries, especially in the Arab region.
Egypt, the world's largest importer of wheat, imports 50% of its wheat needs from Russia with between 10 million to 12 million tons of wheat brought annually from Russia. Meanwhile, Egypt imports 30% of its wheat needs from Ukraine. The Egyptian consumption of wheat is estimated at around 20 million tons annually, according to data from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture.
