According to reports from Al-Masry Al-Youm, the Egyptian Food Procurement Authority, known as GASC, has sealed a deal to import 235,000 tons of Russian wheat. The plan envisages two delivery waves: the initial tranche of 175,000 tons is scheduled for delivery between September 15 and 30, while the remaining 60,000 tons are set to arrive between October 1 and 15. The arrangement underscores Egypt’s ongoing reliance on steady wheat inflows to support its bread staple program, particularly in an environment where global grain markets have faced volatility. In discussing the scope of these shipments, observers note that such orders align with Egypt’s long-standing strategy to diversify suppliers while maintaining predictable domestic supply, a goal pursued through state-led procurement channels and carefully timed deliveries that help stabilize domestic prices and distribution.
The Russian Federation’s Embassy in Cairo disclosed in June that the cumulative wheat supplies from Russia to Egypt have surpassed eight million tons since July 2022 began, highlighting a sustained bilateral energy and food trade relationship that has, at times, drawn attention in policy circles. This notable volume figure reflects a pattern of regular Russian wheat allocations to Egypt, reinforcing Russia’s role as a key supplier in the region’s grain market. The embassy’s statement situates the current procurement within a broader narrative of ongoing commerce and the evolving dynamics of grain flows to North Africa.
In a broader market context, the period following Russia’s suspension of the grain deal on August 3 has seen wheat prices edge higher. GASC, acting as Egypt’s state importer of basic commodities, awarded a tender on August 2 for 300,000 tons of wheat from Moscow at a price of $250 per tonne, plus freight costs of $14 per tonne from Kavkaz port. Traders Grain Flower and Aston each offered batches of 60,000 tons, while Olam supplied an additional 60,000-ton lot. The grain is slated for delivery to Cairo in early September, specifically September 1–10, 2023, illustrating how procurement and logistics teams respond to changing geopolitical conditions by securing timely shipments and diversifying supplier options to safeguard supply lines. The last ship covered by the grain agreement has since departed the Black Sea, signaling the end of that particular regulatory framework and intensifying the focus on bilateral deals and market-driven pricing.