The prospects for the mainly irrigated wheat crop, to be harvested from mid-April 1998, are favourable. The area sown to wheat is expected to increase and wheat production in 1997 is estimated at about 5.8 million tonnes. Maize output is estimated at 5.9 million tonnes. The Egyptian General Authority for Supply Commodities is pursuing a policy aimed at reducing the country’s dependency on wheat imports through the use of more locally-grown wheat and corn flour to meet local growing demand.
On 6 January 1998, a 5 sq.km immature swarm was seen coming from the south at Wadi Frukit near the Sudanese border. Other dense immature swarms appearing from the south were also reported. Most of them settled in coastal and sub-coastal areas between Halaib and Shalatein. Control operations were undertaken although many of the swarms split up and some continued east across the Red Sea. By the end of January, some of the swarms had started to mature. More than 11 000 hectares were treated. A few more swarms are likely to appear from the south on the south-eastern coastal plains during periods of southerly winds in the coming weeks. Most of the swarms are expected to continue east across the Red Sea while a few may remain in green areas, mature and lay eggs or move northwards along the coast.
Imports of wheat and wheat flour in 1997/98 (July/June) are forecast at 7 million tonnes, marginally lower than in the previous year. Coarse grains imports are forecast at 2.8 million tonnes, some 9 percent lower than last year.