Why does Egypt import cereals despite producing wheat and other grains?

Although Egypt produces various grains—including wheat, corn, rice, and sorghum—its domestic production is insufficient to meet the country's total consumption needs.1

This shortfall is primarily driven by a rapidly increasing population, which has necessitated an intensification of cultivation that is almost unparalleled elsewhere. While Egyptian agriculture is highly fertile and productive, it is constrained by the fact that approximately 96 percent of the country's total area is desert, leaving only about 3 percent of the land as arable.1

Because domestic output falls short of demand, Egypt must spend a substantial portion of its foreign exchange annually on the import of cereals and milling products to ensure food security.1