Cairo: Industry Minister Hashem announced efforts to enhance the export of marble and granite to $1 billion annually. The ministry is working on removing obstacles in quarry operations and improving the business environment for explorers, quarry operators, and manufacturers to increase productivity, diversify output, and strengthen export competitiveness.
According to State Information Service Egypt, an advisory committee with representatives from various ministries, relevant authorities, and the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) will be established. This committee will support the Egyptian Company for Mining, Management and Exploitation of Quarries and Salines in plans to significantly increase the number of operating quarries by the end of 2026.
The announcement was made during an expanded meeting with FEI Chairman Mohamed el Sewedy to address challenges in the quarrying sector and explore ways to double marble and granite exports in the near future. The meeting was attended by key figures, including Abdel Salam Shafiq, Chairman of the Egyptian Company for Mining, Nahed Youssef, Chairperson of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), representatives from the marble and granite division, and senior Industry Ministry officials.
Discussions during the meeting also focused on challenges faced by quarry owners and the efforts by the National Service Projects Organization through the Egyptian Company for Mining to facilitate investments. Measures to strengthen oversight and transparency were reviewed, such as the installation of weighing stations at quarry exits to accurately monitor extracted quantities. Eighteen new stations are currently being established to enhance monitoring and optimize resource management.
Hashem highlighted that the meeting is part of ongoing consultations aimed at developing the marble sector and expanding exports. These efforts follow recent field visits to factories, notably in the Shaq El-Thoaban industrial zone, where steps have been taken to regularize manufacturers’ status and issue licenses in coordination with Cairo Governorate and the Industrial Development Authority.