04:14Farmers in governorates across Egypt have begun harvesting different varieties of cotton, which are suited to particular regions and soil conditions. The most widespread type is the Egyptian long-staple cotton, often referred to as ‘white gold’ since experts consider it to be ‘the best in the world’.
Footage captured on Tuesday shows cotton fields in Egypt’s Menoufia governorate, where men, women, and youngsters can be seen picking this year’s cotton harvest.
Mostafa Emara, Head of Agricultural Research and Practices at the Agricultural Research Centre explained his expectations of this year’s harvest.
"This year, we have 311,000 acres planted. The average yield across the country is expected to range between 7.5 and 8.5 quintals per acre. We anticipate a total production of 1.8 million to 2.2 million quintals this year, God willing," he noted, adding that around 42,000 acres are accounted for by ‘new and recently reclaimed lands’.
Meanwhile, farmers implored the Ministry of Agriculture to unify cotton cultivation zones to reduce infestations and expressed concerns over profitability due to current prices.
The Egyptian government transports long-staple cotton from farms to storage facilities, weighing it and recording the quantities. The following day, the cotton is sorted before it goes to auction.
Before 2019, Egyptian cotton was collected through mediators. Now, the government’s experimental cotton trade system allows the Egypt Cotton Ginning Company to purchase the crop from farmers for a minimum of 10,000 Egyptian pounds per quintal in Upper Egypt and 12,000 Egyptian pounds in Lower Egypt at an auction to the highest bidder in each governorate.
According to a report by Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the total area planted with cotton during the 2023/2024 season in both Upper and Lower Egypt reached around 255,000 feddans (1,071 square kilometres).
Egypt's white gold! Menoufia farmers begin harvest as cotton-picking season underway
Farmers in governorates across Egypt have begun harvesting different varieties of cotton, which are suited to particular regions and soil conditions. The most widespread type is the Egyptian long-staple cotton, often referred to as ‘white gold’ since experts consider it to be ‘the best in the world’.
Footage captured on Tuesday shows cotton fields in Egypt’s Menoufia governorate, where men, women, and youngsters can be seen picking this year’s cotton harvest.
Mostafa Emara, Head of Agricultural Research and Practices at the Agricultural Research Centre explained his expectations of this year’s harvest.
"This year, we have 311,000 acres planted. The average yield across the country is expected to range between 7.5 and 8.5 quintals per acre. We anticipate a total production of 1.8 million to 2.2 million quintals this year, God willing," he noted, adding that around 42,000 acres are accounted for by ‘new and recently reclaimed lands’.
Meanwhile, farmers implored the Ministry of Agriculture to unify cotton cultivation zones to reduce infestations and expressed concerns over profitability due to current prices.
The Egyptian government transports long-staple cotton from farms to storage facilities, weighing it and recording the quantities. The following day, the cotton is sorted before it goes to auction.
Before 2019, Egyptian cotton was collected through mediators. Now, the government’s experimental cotton trade system allows the Egypt Cotton Ginning Company to purchase the crop from farmers for a minimum of 10,000 Egyptian pounds per quintal in Upper Egypt and 12,000 Egyptian pounds in Lower Egypt at an auction to the highest bidder in each governorate.
According to a report by Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the total area planted with cotton during the 2023/2024 season in both Upper and Lower Egypt reached around 255,000 feddans (1,071 square kilometres).
Farmers in governorates across Egypt have begun harvesting different varieties of cotton, which are suited to particular regions and soil conditions. The most widespread type is the Egyptian long-staple cotton, often referred to as ‘white gold’ since experts consider it to be ‘the best in the world’.
Footage captured on Tuesday shows cotton fields in Egypt’s Menoufia governorate, where men, women, and youngsters can be seen picking this year’s cotton harvest.
Mostafa Emara, Head of Agricultural Research and Practices at the Agricultural Research Centre explained his expectations of this year’s harvest.
"This year, we have 311,000 acres planted. The average yield across the country is expected to range between 7.5 and 8.5 quintals per acre. We anticipate a total production of 1.8 million to 2.2 million quintals this year, God willing," he noted, adding that around 42,000 acres are accounted for by ‘new and recently reclaimed lands’.
Meanwhile, farmers implored the Ministry of Agriculture to unify cotton cultivation zones to reduce infestations and expressed concerns over profitability due to current prices.
The Egyptian government transports long-staple cotton from farms to storage facilities, weighing it and recording the quantities. The following day, the cotton is sorted before it goes to auction.
Before 2019, Egyptian cotton was collected through mediators. Now, the government’s experimental cotton trade system allows the Egypt Cotton Ginning Company to purchase the crop from farmers for a minimum of 10,000 Egyptian pounds per quintal in Upper Egypt and 12,000 Egyptian pounds in Lower Egypt at an auction to the highest bidder in each governorate.
According to a report by Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the total area planted with cotton during the 2023/2024 season in both Upper and Lower Egypt reached around 255,000 feddans (1,071 square kilometres).