Ukraine falls behind Russia and Romania in wheat exports to Egypt in February
Egypt’s wheat imports fell 13% year-on-year in February 2026 to about 1.3 million tonnes, with Russia remaining the top supplier. Rising freight costs and a weaker Egyptian pound have pushed domestic wheat prices higher, while geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are increasing logistics costs and creating uncertainty for importers.
Egypt reduced its wheat imports by 13% year-on-year in February 2026 to about 1.3 million tonnes, compared with 1.5 million tonnes in the same month of 2025, according to official data cited by local media. In total, the country imported around 2.3 million tonnes of wheat during the first two months of the year.
Russia remained the largest supplier of wheat to Egypt in February, accounting for 57.5% of total imports with about 797,000 tonnes. Romania ranked second with 189,000 tonnes (13.6%), while Ukraine placed third with shipments of 186,000 tonnes and a 13.5% share.
According to Hisham Suleiman, director of the grain trading and importing company Mediterranean Star, government purchases accounted for 53.6% of total wheat imports in February, or about 741,000 tonnes across 13 cargo shipments.
Meanwhile, wheat prices on Egypt’s domestic market rose by about 6% over the past week to around 13,000 Egyptian pounds per tonne. The increase was mainly driven by the depreciation of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar, which raises the cost of imported grain.
Logistics costs are also adding pressure to the market. Traders report that maritime freight rates have increased by about 36% to around $30 per tonne, up from $22 previously, amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. As a result, some importers are reducing purchases due to growing uncertainty.
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Source : Ukr Agro Consult
