Egypt plans to expand domestic raisin and flax production in a bid to strengthen national industries, create jobs and increase value-added agricultural exports, the Cabinet said on Wednesday. Egypt's Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir has met with Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk, investors, and specialists in the flax, grape and raisin sectors to discuss enhancing agricultural and industrial value chains. Minister El-Wazir said the government will prioritise raisin processing by studying ways to expand grape cultivation and setting up specialised projects in the Nile Delta, alongside supporting "productive villages" initiatives. Minister El-Wazir added that authorities have launched a comprehensive study to maximise the use of flax, training workers in advanced techniques to produce textiles, ropes, edible oils, paints and animal feed. The minister noted the initiatives are part of Egypt's national industrial strategy, which focuses on developing ready-made garments and food industries as key drivers of job creation and export growth. Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk said the strategy aims to link farming with manufacturing to boost value, citing flax cultivation — currently covering 50,000 feddans — as a foundation for multiple industries. He also highlighted rising demand for raisins at home and abroad, stressing the need for industrial clusters near production areas to cut waste and improve competitiveness. The two ministers also discussed creating an integrated industrial zone for raisin processing, supported by storage facilities, trained labour and suitable infrastructure, as well as updating cooperative laws to support small-scale agro-industries. The move reflects Egypt's push to align agriculture with industry, enhance export competitiveness and foster rural development while ensuring high-quality production for domestic and global markets. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser
