Agriculture

Agriculture remains an important part of the Egyptian economy, and a long-standing priority for the government has been to shift the agricultural balance of trade, with the country possessing the second-highest agricultural import expenditure as a share of export revenues in the region, at over 35%. To this end, improvements to irrigation systems and water management protocols have been planned and are coming to fruition. Meanwhile, the renowned Egyptian cotton industry, considered the international luxury standard for centuries, is experiencing a renaissance after several challenging years. With prices and global demand both on the rise, Egypt is hoping to ride the wave of this renewed popularity to a lucrative export market. This chapter contains an interview with Ashraf Mahmoud, Chairman and Managing Director, Al Nouran Group.