The proposal was discussed in two separate meetings at the forum, which took place from May 20 to 23, 2026. Farouk first met with Alexey Gribanov, president of Demetra Holding, one of Russia’s largest grain trading and logistics companies and a major player in Russian wheat exports to Egypt, then held a separate session with Dmitry Sergeev, CEO of OZK (United Grain Company) and president of the Russian Union of Cereal Exporters and Producers.
Both meetings examined ways to convert the proposed center into a fully integrated regional facility, whose function would extend beyond storage and re-export to encompass value-added processing of imported grains, including the manufacturing of flour, pasta, edible oils and animal feed.
“Russia is one of Egypt’s most important wheat suppliers and these discussions align with the directives of the political leaders of both countries to enhance economic cooperation and develop storage and transportation infrastructure,” Farouk added.
Central to both sets of talks were mechanisms to conclude long-term supply contracts for shipments of Russian wheat to Egypt, a move aimed at stabilizing Cairo’s strategic supply chains and building a sustainable reserve of essential commodities.
OZK, ranked among Russia’s top five grain exporters, and Demetra Holding play critical roles in organizing Russian grain flows to global markets, making them natural partners for Egypt’s food security agenda.
The two meetings also examined joint investment opportunities in the construction of silos and strategic grain collection and storage facilities within Egypt, along with cooperation on technical expertise in digitalized grain cultivation, handling and logistics management, an area in which Russia has developed considerable capabilities in recent years.
Egypt, one of the world’s largest wheat importers, relies heavily on foreign supplies to support its subsidized bread program and broader food security needs.
Russia has remained its main supplier of wheat in recent years, accounting for a significant share of purchases made through both state tenders and private contracts.
Since global supply chains were disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine war, Cairo has been working to strengthen its strategic grain reserves, diversifying wheat sources, expanding local purchases and increasing storage capacity.
The government has invested in modern silos and logistics infrastructure over the last decade to reduce post-harvest losses and improve supply chain efficiency.
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