Egypt's Agricultural Production in Focus

Updated 1/4/2025 9:00:00 AM

Egypt has long been considered an agricultural economy, as the country highly depends on agricultural activities. In the fiscal year (FY) 2023/24, the agriculture sector’s gross domestic product (GDP) recorded EGP 1.9 trillion, accounting for 14% of the country’s total GDP.

Agriculture is also a key exporting sector in Egypt that guarantees market access for Egyptian exporters in various countries, especially in Europe, where specific Egyptian products are in high demand for their distinguished quality.

In this Factsheet, we will explore agriculture production in Egypt, key crops cultivated, and destinations to which Egypt exports its agricultural products.

The total crop area for the 2022/2023 season reached 16.8 million feddans, compared to 16.6 million feddans in the 2022/2021 season, marking an annual growth rate of 1.1%.
Field crops, such as rice, wheat, and cotton, acquired 76% of the total crop area. The total field crop production reached 5 million tons. Behira, Kafr El Sheikh, and Sharqia were the top producer governorates of field crops in the 2022/2023 season.
Clover was the top-produced field crop, yielding2 million tons of all its types. It was followed by sugar beet and sugarcane, which together totaled 28.4 million tons in production. The production of wheat, maize, and rice reached 9.1 million tons, 7.1 million tons, and 6.2 million tons, respectively.
In the 2022/2023 season, vegetables accounted for 12.5% of Egypt’s total crop area, with production of around 25 million tons. The production mainly came from Noubaria, Behira, and Sharqia.
Potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants were the most produced vegetables in the 2022/2023 season, with production hitting 6 million tons, 7.1 million tons, and 1.8 million tons, respectively.
Fruit gardens covered 10.7% of the total crop area and produced a total of 13.8 million tons. The main fruit-producing areas included Noubaria, Behira, and Sharqia.
Oranges, grapes, and mangoes were the most produced fruits in the 2022/2023 season, with their production reaching 5 million tons, 1.7 million tons, and 1.4 million tons, respectively.
In 2023, agriculture exports were worth $3.71 billion, representing 10% of Egypt’s non-oil exports. Oranges, potatoes, and grapes were the top exported agriculture commodities, with export values of $798 million, $335 million, and $288 million, respectively.
The majority of Egyptian agriculture exports were directed to Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the Netherlands, which collectively imported $1.05 billion worth of Egyptian crops.
Despite the agricultural sector’s remarkable economic significance in Egypt, it is currently threatened by water scarcity. Egypt is facing a water deficit of 20 billion cubic meters (bcm). In 2023, agriculture activities consumed 1 bcm, which made up 76% of the country’s water usage.

By: Amina Hussein