Egypt: Egypt May Lose 1.4 Billion Pounds on Wheat Purchases in 2018

On February 2, 2018, Egypt’s General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) issued updated requirements for suppliers wishing to participate in government tenders for wheat procurement. The government may lose 1.4 billion pounds on wheat purchases this year due to cumbersome import requirements. Expected to import approximately 12 million metric tons (MT) of wheat in 2018, Egypt remains the world’s largest importer of wheat. Egypt’s General Authority for Supply Commodities is the world’s single largest purchaser of wheat. Government imports of wheat in 2017 reached 7.5 MMT, while Egyptian private sector imports amounted to only 4.5 MMT. Once a large buyer of U.S.-origin wheat, Egypt now purchases primarily from European and Black Sea producers.

Egypt: Egypt May Lose 1.4 Billion Pounds on Wheat Purchases in 2018