Egypt’s military-run Future of Egypt Authority for Sustainable Development has ordered that all rice shipments leaving the country must secure its explicit approval, according to a letter sent to the Customs Authority last week and seen by Al Manassa.
The directive, citing presidential mandates, centralizes control over rice exports and requires foreign currency proceeds to be exchanged at the Central Bank of Egypt for local currency. The authority said the move was necessary after discovering that some companies continued to stockpile or export rice without coordination. Customs ports were instructed not to issue export certificates without its clearance “until the ministerial decrees regulating this matter are fulfilled.”
In February 2025, the Customs Authority confirmed that a ban on rice exports had remained in effect for more than eight years to conserve scarce water resources. However, this ban did not prevent some companies from announcing export operations; the Sons of Sinai company, part of the Organi Group, announced it was exporting rice to 18 countries, according to a report by Mada Masr.
Three sources involved in rice production and exports confirmed that shipments have indeed taken place recently, though they described the impact as “limited” relative to current supply levels. They argued that placing export oversight under a single entity allows for tighter control over domestic supply, thereby preventing local price volatility.
A source in the Rice Division of the Grain Industry Chamber at the Federation of Egyptian Industries described the exported quantities as “negligible,” arguing they do not affect the volume of supply in the local market. Most of these exports are directed toward neighboring countries such as Sudan, Libya, and Iraq, he said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source told Al-Manassa that export operations are channeled through state-affiliated entities under fixed-quota permits, which restrict companies to the specific volumes authorized by the authority.
Mustafa Al-Saltisi, a member of the Rice Division at the Federation of Egyptian Industries, argued that unifying the export channel through the Future of Egypt ensures the operational stability, noting that there is currently a rice surplus that allows for exports.
Al-Saltisi told Al Manassa that the price of paddy rice is currently stable at 16,400 Egyptian pounds (about $310) per ton for wide-grain and 14,400 pounds (about $275) for fine-grain. Meanwhile, the price of white rice ranges between 20,500 and 25,500 pounds ($390 to $485) per ton. He noted that there is “significant” demand for Egyptian rice from the Arab Gulf countries, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Libya, and Sudan.
The head of a rice production company stated that the authority’s role ensures a delicate balance between importing basmati rice and exporting other varieties, such as short-grain rice, to avoid putting pressure on local supply or affecting prices.
The company head, who asked not to be named, said the mechanism conserves foreign currency by channeling export proceeds into covering basmati import costs. He added that Egypt’s rice market is currently well supplied, supported by steady domestic output alongside imported basmati.
Egypt’s rice cultivation season beginsin May, with harvesting running from August through October. Milling and market distribution typically start in November.
The country currently holds reserves covering five to six months of domestic consumption, enough to meet demand until the next crop is harvested in August.
The Future of Egypt Authority, established in 2022 by presidential decree, has emerged as one of the country’s most prominent military-run development entities. While the transfer of state assets to military agencies is common, the authority stands out for generating financial returns, according to a Carnegie report.
