Monthly average prices for wheat in Egypt 2019-2023

The monthly average price for normal wheat in Egypt amounted to 22.05 Egyptian pounds (0.71 U.S. dollars) per kilogram as of May 2023. During the period reviewed, the price was the highest ever recorded and increased slightly compared to the previous month, registering a growth of almost 1.9 percent. In November 2019, the average price dropped by one Egyptian pound and stayed constant until May 2020 before fluctuating and increasing in general. The previous relative stability in wheat prices was caused by the extensive involvement of the Egyptian government in all parts of the wheat value chain.   

A major crop for the Egyptians

      Grains constitute Egypt's most important crop group, with wheat as the most important grain of all. In 2021, the country produced nine million metric tons of the crop. Yet Egyptians consumed more than twice that number. The grain is fundamental to the Egyptian population's food staple. In order to meet a demand that is higher than the local production, the country imports the majority of its wheat. In fact, Egypt has held its position as the largest wheat importer globally for years.

Several shocks to the Egyptian grain market

      The increases in the crop's price since September 2021 were a result of several reasons. The increases in the global average price of cereals, as well as crops affected by weather conditions in major export nations were among the main causes. Furthermore, the Russia-Ukraine war has severe implications on the wheat supply globally and in Egypt. Both countries are leading wheat import partners of Egypt, aggregating 85 percent of the country's wheat imports in 2020. As of the same year, the volume of wheat imported from Russia stood at 14 million metric tons.