CAIRO – The Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA) announced that it would submit a request to the Agriculture Ministry to approve two new species of wheat in 2022, as they are expected to increase the country’s production from this strategic crop by 25%.
In a statement released on Thursday, the EAEA explained the Agriculture Ministry is the only body that is responsible for accrediting these new types of wheat before being cultivated by farmers.
The EAEA said the Agriculture Ministry would conduct the crop homogeneity test on the new species, followed by field tests to ascertain to what extent they resist diseases.
The EAEA noted that it developed and tested 35 new species of wheat in experimental farms at the authority’s land in the village of Inshas in Sharqia governorate.
The EAEA’s announcement comes as the State seeks to reduce the gap between its local production of wheat and the imports which make up of 55%.
