Egypt's Investment Minister Hassan El-Khatib held talks on Sunday with US-based Blumberg Grain on plans to establish a regional food-security hub in the country and localise advanced agricultural preservation technology, the ministry said in a statement. El-Khatib met the company's delegation to discuss cooperation that would support Egypt's food-security strategy and Blumberg Grain's plan to base its Middle East and Africa operations in Egypt. The meeting was attended by senior officials including Hossam Heiba, head of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), and commercial envoys, alongside Blumberg Grain Chairman Philip Blumberg and senior executives. El-Khatib reviewed Egypt's economic overhaul since 2014, noting more than $500 billion invested in infrastructure, including new road networks, ports, and cities, to create an integrated environment for trade and investment. He said the government is pushing to empower the private sector and leverage Egypt's strategic location and upgraded logistics links between the Red Sea and Mediterranean. Therefore, El-Khatib said the government welcomed Blumberg Grain's plan to establish a centre in Egypt focused on agricultural investment and boosting the country's farm-export capacity. The minister said Egypt has managed to slow inflation, build foreign reserves, and generate a surplus in net foreign assets. He added that procedural reforms cut the cost and burden of investment and trade by 65 per cent last year, with a target of reaching 90 per cent in the coming period. El-Khatib also highlighted the New Delta Project, which aims to significantly expand reclaimed farmland, inviting the American firm to participate in managing and operating its infrastructure under a partnership model. Blumberg praised Egypt's economic reforms and improving investment climate, saying the company chose Egypt as the anchor point for its Middle East and East Africa operations. The planned hub would include greenhouses, storage units, and value-added processing lines, he said. He added the company is exploring investment in a dedicated cold-chain facility in East Port Said to support manufacturing and exports, leveraging Egypt's engineering talent and competitive labour costs. Blumberg said the firm aims to transfer advanced technology for storing perishable goods to Egypt, enabling crops to be preserved for months and reducing post-harvest losses. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
