Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt’s cotton sector recorded total production of nearly 1.5 million quintals during the current agricultural season, reflecting relative stability in both cultivated area and farm productivity, according to officials at the Agricultural Research Center.
Dr. Mostafa Attia Emara, official spokesperson for the center, said the total area planted with cotton this season reached approximately 195,000 feddans. Of that figure, around 23,000 feddans were cultivated in Upper Egypt, while the remaining area was concentrated in the Nile Delta, traditionally the country’s main cotton-growing region.
Based on estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Economic Affairs Sector, average productivity stood at about 7.2 quintals per feddan, bringing total output close to 1.5 million quintals nationwide. The figures point to consistent yields despite ongoing challenges facing farmers, including rising production costs and fluctuations in global cotton markets.
Following harvest, cotton is delivered to designated collection centers overseen by the Cotton Trading and Marketing Committee, where it is sold through public auctions. The auction system, reintroduced in recent years as part of broader sector reforms, links domestic prices to global cotton benchmarks and aims to ensure transparency and fair pricing for farmers.
According to Emara, average prices reached about 6,200 Egyptian pounds per quintal for cotton produced in Upper Egypt, compared with approximately 9,400 pounds per quintal for cotton from the Delta. Differences in pricing largely reflect variations in fiber length, quality, and international demand for specific varieties.
So far, roughly 1.1 million quintals have been traded and sold through auctions. The highest recorded price this season was for extra-long staple varieties, led by the premium Extra 92 cotton, which fetched around 11,000 pounds per quintal, based on a standard weight of 157.5 kilograms.
Long-staple varieties grown in the Delta, including Giza 97, Giza 94, and Giza 86, recorded average prices of around 9,000 pounds per quintal. These were followed by other medium and long-staple varieties, while Upper Egypt cottons such as Giza 95 and Giza 98 were sold at prices ranging between 6,000 and 6,400 pounds per quintal.
In terms of supply, Kafr El-Sheikh, Sharkia, and Beheira ranked among the top governorates delivering cotton to auction markets this season, reflecting their long-standing role in Delta cotton production. In Upper Egypt, Fayoum emerged as the leading supplier.
Officials say the current cotton marketing system has contributed to greater market stability, improved farmer returns, and enhanced the competitiveness of Egyptian cotton, which remains globally renowned for its long and extra-long staple fibers. The government has been working to revive the sector through better seed quality, stricter classification standards, and a more transparent pricing mechanism, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen agricultural exports and restore Egypt’s position in premium cotton markets worldwide.
