Production value Through moves to reduce Egypt’s reliance on wheat imports, the North African nation now has 62% self-sufficiency in local production. Egypt, according to a report by Arab News, is the world’s largest importer of wheat. However, the country has cultivated 1.5 million ha of planted wheat, producing nearly 10 million tons. According to Mohamed El Quseir, the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, this area represents the largest ever allocated to the grain in country’s history. Quseir adds that ‘we aim to increase the agricultural area by [up to 1.45 million ha] through horizontal expansion projects, such as the new delta, Toshka, and the development of North and Central Sinai’. 1 March 2022 Image: Gallo/Reuters Images