Stories from Fayoum · Egypt

Farmers in the Fayoum oasis are harvesting 4 hectares of wheat by hand using sickles because the crop was flattened by heavy rain and wind. The manual harvest is expected to last approximately ten days. Yields are estimated to be reduced by about one quarter due to these weather conditions. Despite the losses, farmers are supported by a state-fixed purchase price of approximately 320 dollars per tonne and fertilizer subsidies. The state price was re-evaluated before winter to encourage early sowing. Wheat production in western and southern regions has experienced losses of up to 25 percent.