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Recent data released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates a continued escalation in Egypt's demand for oilseeds, with the country's imports projected to reach approximately 5.03 million metric tons (MT) during the 2026/2027 season. This figure represents a significant increase from the 4.93 million MT estimated for the preceding 2025/2026 season.
The data reveals a steady rise in Egypt's oilseed imports over recent years. After recording approximately 2 million MT in the 2022/2023 season, imports climbed to 3.33 million MT in 2023/2024, then to 4.56 million MT in 2024/2025, reaching 4.93 million MT in 2025/2026. This consistent growth underscores the increasing needs of the Egyptian market for vital raw materials used in the production of oils and animal feeds.
Soybeans are at the forefront of the oilseed raw materials heavily relied upon by Egypt. This comes amidst an expansion of import and crushing operations to meet the growing demand from feed mills and the livestock, poultry, and aquaculture sectors. The USDA estimates Egypt's soybean consumption at around 5.2 million MT during the 2026/2027 season, driven by increased activity in crushing plants and higher requirements from the manufacturing sector. Notably, Egypt is currently the largest importer and consumer of soybeans in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In a related development, Egypt's soybean crushing capacity is expected to increase to approximately 5.2 million tons in the 2026/2027 season, compared to an estimated 5 million tons for the 2025/2026 season. This rise coincides with an escalating demand for soy meal, a key ingredient in animal feed production.
Data from the vegetable oil market also indicates continued growth in domestic consumption in Egypt, with projections reaching about 2.88 million MT during the 2026/2027 season, up from 2.75 million tons in the previous season. Consumption stood at 2.42 million MT in 2024/2025, 2.23 million MT in 2023/2024, and 2.05 million MT in 2022/2023. This trend confirms the expanding needs of the Egyptian market for vegetable oils, in parallel with increasing demand for oilseed raw materials for manufacturing and crushing operations.
The surge in oilseed imports is not solely linked to direct consumption; it also points to a significant growth in crushing operations within Egypt. This reflects an expansion in local manufacturing and the transformation of imported raw materials into value-added products, such as soybean oil and soy meal, widely used in the animal feed industry. According to USDA data, oilseed crushing operations in Egypt increased from approximately 2.35 million tons in the 2022/2023 season to about 4.74 million tons in 2025/2026. Projections indicate that crushing operations will reach approximately 5.06 million tons during the 2026/2027 season, affirming the continued expansion of local manufacturing capacity to meet the rising demand for oils and feeds.
Source: Alam Al Mal