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The Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade signed an executive contract with UAE-based Al Dahra for the supply of imported wheat under a larger financing programme, the ministry announced this month. The agreement activates a five-year framework provided by the Abu Dhabi Exports Office that totals $500 million with annual allocations of $100 million. This step forms part of efforts to maintain stable supplies of the strategic commodity for the domestic market.
According to the ministry the programme will finance purchases specifically from Al Dahra and help secure Egypt’s wheat requirements while strengthening its strategic stock of essential goods. The arrangement spreads procurement across the full five years rather than depending entirely on shorter-term tenders. The General Authority for Supply Commodities will oversee the utilisation of these funds for imported milling wheat.
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service data projects Egypt’s wheat imports at 12.5 million metric tons in the 2026-27 marketing year a slight decline from the prior period due to rising domestic output. The country remains one of the world’s largest wheat buyers with much of the volume directed toward production of subsidised bread for a population exceeding 108 million. Russia Ukraine and the European Union have supplied the bulk of Egypt’s wheat in recent years according to the same USDA assessments.
Al Dahra has reported strong growth in its Egyptian operations with local wheat supplies from reclaimed land rising more than 12.5 percent in volume and 28.6 percent in value during the current season an industry source told Al Arabiya. The company maintains extensive agricultural investments across Egypt that complement the import agreement. Such expansion aligns with broader UAE-Egypt cooperation in the agriculture sector that dates back years.
The deal builds on a framework agreement first signed in 2023 between Egyptian ministries and the Abu Dhabi Exports Office as reported by Reuters at the time. That earlier pact focused on providing competitive pricing and flexible payment terms for wheat imports. Subsequent cooperation has also included joint projects to expand storage capacity through construction of additional silos.
Egypt’s supply ministry has indicated the long-term financing reduces exposure to global market volatility while supporting food security objectives. The Abu Dhabi Exports Office programme offers a revolving facility that can be drawn upon annually within the overall $500 million envelope. Officials from both countries have described the activation as a concrete outcome of their strategic economic partnership.
