Indiana soybean farmers visit Egypt

CAIRO — Indiana Soybean Alliance farmers, leaders and staff visited Cairo to see firsthand opportunities and challenges for the soybean industry in Egypt.

The trip was through the U.S. Soybean Export Council, which hosted a Qualified State Soybean Board Learning Mission in September.

“We learned that the largest market for U.S. soybean meal is poultry,” said Courtney Kingery, CEO of ISA.

“The country has been having some economic issues with the devaluation of the currency, so demand has dropped off. But at the feed mill we heard the general manager say he expects it to increase in the coming months.”

Aquaculture is the second-largest usage, with tilapia being the choice of most Egyptians.

“There are continued opportunities for U.S. soybeans in this region with growth in both markets,” Kingery said.

Farm-raised fish account for almost 80% of Egypt’s seafood market, up from 50% in 2012. Egyptian farmers raise tilapia, catfish, sea bass, mullet and carp.

Per-acre fish production has increased from 400 kilograms to 2 tons since 2019.

According to USSEC, Egypt is the third-largest soybean export market for the United States, importing more than 4 million metric tons in 2022.

The country’s poultry and aquaculture industries are leading the way for more soy to be crushed in the region, according to ISA.

Find out more information about growing markets for Indiana soybeans at https://tinyurl.com/yzbc6xu2.