An official report by Ministry of Agriculture has shown that the total production of cotton in Egypt this year reached 106,472 metric tons (or 2.6 million qantars) cultivated on 375,000 acres, averaging seven qantars of cotton per acre.
The domestic cotton trade committee agreed to collect the cotton crops in Upper Egypt and Delta to make it easier for farmers until the price is set.
The ministry vowed not to leave farmers deal with traders’ plans to control the market.
Official ministry sources called for establishing a fund to resolve marketing problems of agricultural crops in order not to be affected by the changing international prices and hence cushion the Egyptian farmer from the dangers of an international market. This is especially applicable since the cultivated areas of cotton are decreasing every year as companies abstain from buying, which forces farmers to sell the crops at cheap price.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
