Food & Climate
Egypt plans to increase the area of the investment zone for medicinal and aromatic plants and agricultural manufacturing in Beni Suef from 147 acres to 250 acres in the first phase, and to 600 acres in a later phase, Beni Suef Governor, Dr. Mohamed Hani Ghoneim, told “Food & Climate” platform.
Beni Suef Governorate signed in Cairo (the capital of Egypt), today, Monday, February 3, 2025, a cooperation agreement with the Data Analysis and Consulting Center (CDAC) at the National Planning Institute, to prepare a comprehensive and integrated feasibility study to increase the area allocated to establish an investment zone for medicinal and aromatic plants and agricultural manufacturing, for which a presidential decree allocated an area of 147 acres in the Samsta Center area.
Ghoneim said that the food industries in the investment zone project for medicinal and aromatic plants in Beni Suef will expand according to the investors’ request, after the completion of the feasibility study.
The Beni Suef governor added that the feasibility study takes into account the sustainability criteria in the project, which works to combat climate change in this activity.
The investment zone project for medicinal and aromatic plants in Beni Suef aims to exploit the governorate’s agricultural production and transform it into transformation industries.
Ghoneim said in his statements to the “Food & Climate” platform, on the sidelines of the agreement signing event: “We want to transform Beni Suef Governorate’s agricultural production into industrial products that can be used in the food or pharmaceutical industries.
Exploiting Agricultural Resources
Dr. Mohamed Hani Ghoneim said that the investment zone project for medicinal and aromatic plants in Beni Suef is a qualitative leap in exploiting the governorate’s agricultural resources, and pointed out that Beni Suef accounts for about 46% of the total national production.
He added that the governorate is working to invest in this distinction by establishing an integrated investment zone that aims to transform agricultural crops from mere raw production into intermediate and final goods that meet the requirements of global markets, which contributes to increasing exports and creating new investment opportunities.
He explained that this project is one of the fruits of the local economic strategy launched by the governorate in December 2020, as the first local strategy at the level of Egypt’s governorates according to Egypt’s Vision 2030, according to his statements during the agreement signing event today.
Ghoneim had indicated in press statements, quoted by local newspapers, at the end of last year, that the industrial zone will be environmentally friendly to comply with the requirements of the European Union for import.
Ghoneim explained that the governorate seeks to be one of the agricultural governorates specialized in the production of potato, garlic and onion crops.
The head of the Egyptian National Planning Institute, Dr. Ashraf Al-Arabi, said that cooperation with Beni Suef Governorate comes within the framework of supporting scientific planning for development projects.
Al-Arabi added that the study is important in maximizing the economic and social returns of the investment zone for medicinal and aromatic plants project in Beni Suef, by adopting the best ways to attract local and foreign investments, and provide new job opportunities for the people of the governorate.
He stressed that the project will contribute to transforming Beni Suef into a leading regional industrial and investment center in this field, according to a statement from the institute.
Coriander and Cumin Production
The CEO of the Data Analysis and Consulting Center at the National Planning Institute, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Al-Ayoun, said that the center will conduct a feasibility study for the project according to the latest scientific and economic standards, to ensure maximum benefit from the project and maximize its economic and social returns, especially since Beni Suef Governorate has all the components that make it a leading center in industries based on medicinal and aromatic plants, noting that the study will include mechanisms to attract local and foreign investments and enhance partnership opportunities with the private sector.
Abu Al-Ayoun added, in statements on the sidelines of the agreement signing event, that the investment zone for medicinal and aromatic plants and agricultural manufacturing in Beni Suef is expected to attract 9 activities from the transformation industries, such as transportation, drying and cleaning.
He explained that the investment zone will include investment projects for products such as coriander and cumin.
According to data from the Agricultural Crops Division of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, Egypt ranks fifth in exporting medicinal and aromatic plants, and the types of crops reach more than 30 crops, 95% of which are exported in the form of oils and pastes, and about 85% of dry herbs annually.
Egypt cultivates more than 30 types of medicinal and aromatic plants on an area of 80 thousand acres annually, and aims to increase it to 250 thousand acres by 2030, according to the Horticulture Research Institute of the Agricultural Research Center.