Sisi stresses need to expand agricultural lot in Egypt

AIN SOKHNA – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has pressed for action to expand the agricultural lot in Egypt.

A horizontal expansion over an area of 3.5 million feddans in the Delta, Toshka and Central Sinai regions is equal to about one third of the old cultivated lands, Sisi said, noting that this would very much contribute to agricultural development in Egypt.

This entailed much work, time and cost, Sisi said during the inauguration of a complex of nitrogen fertilizer plants in Ain Sokhna Wednesday.

“We are talking about a project that is not simple and its requirements of water and fertilizers are very huge,” Sisi said, stressing that the horizontal expansion in agriculture would consume large quantities of water.

The president also touched upon two projects to treat agricultural waste water in Sinai and the Delta through big plants, which, he added, also needs big money.

President Sisi said the best way to use natural gas is not by selling it as fuel, but rather by putting it into other industries to maximize the value added.

According to him, Egypt needs about 800 million dollars to establish big factories to meet local and export demands. This takes long time, Sisi said, noting that in the past securing electric energy and gas was a priority to operate the factories.

“We’re racing against time for the 3.5 million feddans to come into service as soon as possible,” Sisi said.

For the horizontal expansion to go as planned, water should be secured, Sisi said, noting that that is why the government seeks to build “very expensive” huge plants to treat agricultural waste water.

Achieving industrial development, likewise, needs time, effort and a lot of money, the president acknowledged.

It took three years for the complex of nitrogen fertilizer plants to be completed, Sisi said, adding that previously the government had been acting to secure natural gas needed for the project. Establishing those factories took about four years, the president went on to say.

He put the estimated value of the complex of nitrogen fertilizer plants at about 800 million dollars, not including the cost of the land and utilities.