Egypt to build the world’s largest palm farm with 2.3M trees
Egypt moves to expand its date sector as new farms and factories take shape.
EGYPT – Egypt has shared plans to develop the world’s largest date palm farm of 2.3 million palm trees across the Toshka and East Owaynat regions.
The project forms part of a wider national plan to grow agricultural output, raise export earnings, and cement Egypt’s place among leading date producers.
The announcement came during the opening of the 8th International Date Palm Festival in the Bahariya Oasis. General Kamel El Wazir, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Transport, said the country now ranks first in global date production. He stated that Egypt accounts for 19 percent of worldwide output and 24 percent of Arab production. “We want farmers and exporters to see that this sector holds strong growth prospects,” he said.
El Wazir explained that the Toshka and East Owaynat project sits at the center of Egypt’s long-term plan to turn dry land into productive farms and expand exports of high-quality crops.
Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk said the country now hosts more than 20 million palm trees from Siwa to Sinai. He added that farmers grow many high-quality varieties that meet international demand. In 2024, Egypt reached its highest-ever date export earnings at $105.62 million (approx US$105.62 million), marking a sharp rise since 2014 and steady growth compared to 2023.
Farouk said Toshka’s 38,000-acre farm, which holds 1.6 million trees across 44 varieties, entered the Guinness World Records as the largest date palm farm on earth. The farm forms part of a national plan to grow five million palm trees, with three million already planted in Toshka and the New Valley. “We want this sector to support jobs, exports, and stable incomes for farming families,” he said.
Improving processing and storage
Egypt’s date processing sector has grown fast. More than 150 factories and packing stations now operate across the country. The Ministry of Industry also set up cold storage sites with a capacity of 4,000 tons in the Bahariya Oasis. Previous editions of the festival took place in Siwa and Aswan as the government works to support farmers in different regions.
Officials also introduced an agro-climatic map for palm cultivation with the Food Export Council. The plan supports factory upgrades in Siwa and the New Valley so producers can meet export standards.
The International Date Palm Festival now serves as a key place for farmers, exporters, and researchers to exchange ideas that improve the sector. The event also helps attract investment into farms, processing plants, and storage sites.
Egypt continues to strengthen its date sector through expanded cultivation, modern processing sites, and steady collaboration with growers. Officials say these steps will help the country defend its global lead in date production while opening new export markets for years to come.
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