Egypt, Uzbekistan discuss agricultural cooperation

Agricultural land
CAIRO – 29 May 2025: Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk discussed with a high-level delegation from the Republic of Uzbekistan under the Director of the Cabinet Secretariat for Investments, Exports, Trade, Agriculture, and Water Management ways to enhance joint cooperation between the two countries in various fields of the agricultural sector.
The meeting comes within the framework of presidential directives to strengthen cooperation with Uzbekistan and to follow up on the technical aspects of implementing the outcomes of joint committees.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the agricultural capabilities available in Egypt and Uzbekistan and explored opportunities to develop partnerships in agricultural and livestock production, exchange of expertise and technical knowledge, and enhancement of trade exchange in agricultural products.
Farouk emphasized the deep historical ties between Egypt and Uzbekistan across various fields and at all levels. He also highlighted the political leadership's keenness to develop these relations, including in the vital agricultural sector.
The Minister of Agriculture expressed his ministry's readiness to provide all forms of support and expertise to ensure the success of joint cooperation in achieving food security and agricultural development in both countries. He also referred to his recent meeting with Mansurbek Kilichev,
Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Egypt, during which the importance of strengthening cooperation in various agricultural fields was discussed.
The minister explained that in recent years, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Egypt has witnessed significant development and a genuine renaissance in all fields, including the agricultural sector, which now receives considerable attention from the political leadership. He noted that Egypt has taken many steps to improve the investment climate and simplify procedures to encourage investors.
He added that the agricultural sector in Egypt holds great investment potential and offers many opportunities that can be included in areas of joint cooperation.
The Minister of Agriculture directed the External Agricultural Relations Department to organize intensive field visits for the Uzbek delegation to various agricultural projects and entities in Egypt, including research centers, institutes, laboratories, and model farms producing various crops. These visits aim to post the delegation on important experiences that could benefit the exchange and transfer of expertise.
For their part, the Uzbek delegation stressed their country's political leadership's commitment to strengthening joint cooperation in various areas, especially agriculture and food security, and to intensifying efforts to enhance agricultural relations between the two countries.
They expressed interest in boosting cooperation with Egypt in the agricultural field and benefiting from Egypt's distinguished expertise in the sector. They stressed the importance of exchanging visits and experiences between specialists on both sides to advance the prospects of cooperation. They also discussed ways to increase trade in crops and agricultural products, especially since the trade balance between the two countries reached around $55 million in 2024. (

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily News Egypt

13 hours ago

• Daily News Egypt

Egyptian ministers visit mega date farm project to boost agricultural exports

Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, and Minister of Agriculture, Alaa Farouk, traveled to New Valley governorate to inspect progress on what is expected to become the world's largest date farm—part of a national initiative to expand agricultural exports and transform desert land into productive farmland. The visit aligns with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's directive to plant 2.5 million date palms in the western desert region, positioning Egypt as a global leader in date production. During the tour, both ministers planted palm trees to mark the project's advancement and reaffirm the government's commitment to agricultural development. The ministers also visited the Central Groundwater Laboratory and the Sustainable Development Center for New Valley Resources—research institutions affiliated with the irrigation and agriculture ministries. Minister Sewilam underscored the importance of equipping laboratories with state-of-the-art technology and building technical capacity to enhance groundwater monitoring and desert water resource management. Sewilam noted that the laboratory is internationally accredited through December 2025 and plays a central role in safeguarding groundwater—a vital but non-renewable resource that supports Egypt's desert farming projects. He emphasized the need for strict regulation and responsible groundwater usage to ensure long-term sustainability. Minister Farouk highlighted the Desert Research Center's work in cultivating non-traditional, drought-tolerant crops such as quinoa, panicum, and cassava—better suited to Egypt's arid climate. He also pointed to the government's unprecedented investment of more than EGP 1trn in reclaiming approximately 4 million feddans of desert land, with per-feddan development costs ranging between EGP 250,000 and EGP 300,000. Accompanied by New Valley Governor Mohamed El Zamlout, the delegation toured an exhibition featuring the center's work in seed banking, organic fertilizers, and greenhouse agriculture. Farouk called for continued technical support for local farmers and the expansion of agricultural outreach programs to raise productivity and promote sustainable practices. He added that wheat yields have improved significantly, with productivity increasing by nearly one ardeb (around 150 kg) per feddan, helping Egypt exceed last year's wheat procurement by over 500,000 tonnes. The visit reflects Egypt's broader national strategy to modernize agriculture, boost exports, and ensure long-term food security by transforming its vast desert regions into thriving agricultural zones.

Daily News Egypt

15 hours ago

• Daily News Egypt

Citrus and potatoes top Egypt's H1 agricultural exports of 5.2 million tonnes

Egypt's agricultural exports rose to 5.2 million tonnes during the first half of the year, with citrus fruits and potatoes continuing to lead the list of products, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation announced. The figures were detailed in a report received by Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk from the Central Administration for Agricultural Quarantine, the ministry said in a statement. Citrus fruits led the exports with approximately 1.8 million tonnes, followed by potatoes at 1.2 million tonnes. The ministry said this confirms their growing importance as key export crops due to their recognised quality. Other major exports included 168,000 tonnes of fresh onions, 136,000 tonnes of fresh and dry beans, and 103,000 tonnes of sweet potatoes, which ranked fifth. The list of major exports also included grapes, fresh strawberries, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes, guavas, and pomegranates. The minister said the state was working to enhance Egypt's position as a leading regional hub for high-quality agricultural exports. He noted Egypt's commitment to applying the highest standards of quality and food safety, which helps open new markets and boosts international confidence in Egyptian products. Farouk added that the ministry continuously provides support to exporters and works to remove obstacles to increase the competitiveness of Egyptian products in global markets, underlining the agricultural sector's pivotal role in the economy and in supporting the state's development plans. The minister attributed the success of the export system to the collaborative efforts of farmers, producers, and exporters who are committed to high-quality output and good agricultural practices. He also praised the continuous monitoring by agricultural engineers and researchers, the efforts of the agriculturalquarantine authorities, the ministry's central reference laboratories, and foreign agricultural relations in opening new markets. He highlighted the constant follow-up on shipments from the farm to the destination market. Farouk called on the relevant ministry departments to continue their development and monitoring efforts and to provide all forms of support to agricultural producers to further grow the export sector and maintain the quality of Egyptian produce.

Egypt Today

21 hours ago

• Egypt Today

Egypt's agricultural sector sees strong growth with 5.2M tons exported in H1 2025

CAIRO – 22 June 2025: Egypt's agricultural exports continued on an upward trajectory in the first half of 2025, reaching 5.2 million tons, a clear indication of the sector's growing strength in global markets. Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, had previously announced that by the end of May, exports had already hit 4.8 million tons. A new report from the Ministry reveals that citrus fruits remained the top export, with 1.8 million tons shipped abroad, followed by potatoes at 1.2 million tons. The data also shows notable volumes for other key crops: fresh onions accounted for approximately 168,000 tons, while fresh and dried beans reached 136,000 tons. Sweet potatoes secured the fifth position with 103,000 tons exported. Rounding out the top-performing export crops were grapes, fresh strawberries, garlic, tomatoes, guava, and pomegranates—further reflecting the diversity and strength of Egypt's agricultural output. Minister Farouk reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting exporters by streamlining processes and removing barriers, helping Egyptian products compete more effectively in international markets. He added that this export performance underscores the critical role of agriculture in Egypt's economy and its alignment with the country's broader development objectives.