Egypt Inaugurates Gasoline Production Complex in Assiut

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurating Gasoline Production Complex in Assiut (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurating Gasoline Production Complex in Assiut (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt Inaugurates Gasoline Production Complex in Assiut

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurating Gasoline Production Complex in Assiut (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurating Gasoline Production Complex in Assiut (Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt inaugurated a new gasoline production complex in Assiut Governorate in Upper Egypt, estimated to provide about 13 percent of the country's needs of high-octane gasoline, with investments amounting to more than EGP7 billion.

The complex was inaugurated by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, along with several other developmental projects in the same area.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla reviewed the role of the petroleum sector in the development of Upper Egypt, noting that the region's ten governorates require 20 percent of Egypt's total petroleum products.

He noted that the newly inaugurated complex seeks to produce 800,000 tons of gasoline annually to cover the needs of Upper Egypt's governorates.

Molla said that the complex aims to reduce dangers and save costs of transporting petroleum products from the north to the south.

The complex also aims to maximize the utilization of Assiut Oil Refining Company's assets by bumping new investments in Upper Egypt's governorates.

The project will contribute to achieving sustainable development and improving the quality of life for the Upper Egyptian residents.

Egypt's local production of gasoline increased to 6 million in 2021, upping from 3.9 million in 2014.

Molla reviewed the efforts of the petroleum sector in developing Upper Egypt in various petroleum activities, pointing that the South Valley Egyptian Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope) established ten agreements in the field of research, exploration, and production.

He also announced that the capacity of butane storage warehouses in Upper Egypt increased by 6.5 thousand tons with investments of EGP120 million, bringing the total storage capacities to 22 thousand tons.

The transportation, storing, and shipping infrastructure have also been developed. The storage capacities of gasoline and diesel warehouses were increased by about 2500 tons, with a total investment of EGP70 million.

Transporting crude oil and petroleum projects were developed by adding 570 km with investments of EGP1.2 billion, bringing the total lengths to 1,840 km.



Egypt Targets 10 mln Ton Wheat Harvest

A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
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Egypt Targets 10 mln Ton Wheat Harvest

A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo

Egypt expects to harvest 10 million tonnes of wheat this year, up from 9 million in 2023, driven by improved crop yields and ambitious land reclamation efforts, Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk told Reuters late on Wednesday.

He said 3.1175 million feddans (about 1.30 million hectares) have been cultivated this season — slightly lower than the 3.5 million feddans announced earlier by the planning ministry and 3.2 million feddans in 2024 (1.34 million hectares), suggesting a possible decline in total wheat area.

Farmers have told Reuters that wheat has become less profitable compared to crops like beet, whose area increased from 500,000 feddans (210,000 hectares) to 700,000 feddans (294,000 hectares) this year.

The government plans to buy 4-5 million tonnes of local wheat and import about 6 million tonnes to provide heavily subsidised bread for over 69 million Egyptians.

Farouk said newer high-yield wheat strains developed by the Agricultural Research Center have raised productivity by 7-8.5%.

"This is vertical expansion, and horizontal expansion is coming," he said.

That horizontal expansion is led by the Mostakbal Misr for Sustainable Development, which plans to reclaim 4 million feddans across the country.

Farouk said some of that land is ready for production and the rest will follow in the next two years, offering major opportunities for agricultural investment.

Mostakbal Misr, recently tasked with wheat imports, is also developing infrastructure and growing crops tailored to local consumption, exports and agri-processing, Farouk said..

Farouk added the government is studying a potential rise in local fertilizer prices. Urea and nitrate fertilizers cost around 9,500 Egyptian pounds ($185) per tonne to produce but are sold at a subsidized 4,500 ($87.63). Export prices reach up to 20,000 pounds ($389.48), Farouk said.