Rome: Minister of Agriculture Alaa Farouk held talks with Dutch Minister for Fishery, Food Security, Horticulture and Nature Conservation Jean Rummenie to explore ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation in agriculture and food security, a Cabinet report said. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the sixth African Union and European Union Agriculture Ministerial Conference, held at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters.

According to State Information Service Egypt, discussions focused on encouraging investment in seed production and improving citrus and vegetable crop varieties through public-private partnerships. Farouk emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration in agricultural cooperatives, floriculture exports to the EU, and trilateral cooperation frameworks to promote development across Africa, where Egypt can take an active role.

Rummenie expressed appreciation for Egypt's efforts to facilitate meat imports from the Netherlands and streamline the export of EU potato seeds to the Egyptian market. He also underscored the importance of enhancing collaboration in modernising on-farm irrigation systems and sharing Dutch technical expertise, while continuing joint efforts with Egyptian companies to produce high-yield, climate-resilient seeds.

Both ministers discussed expanding agri-food trade, with current Egyptian agricultural exports to the Netherlands valued at around $500 million annually, compared to $300 million in Dutch agricultural exports to Egypt. The two sides voiced mutual interest in deepening the strategic partnership, particularly in advanced agricultural technologies that support Egypt's goals for sustainable development and food security.