Egypt: new export burden refund program — support up by 35% on average, half of freight costs covered

Egypt's Cabinet on 5 November approved a new program refunding export costs. It applies to shipments from early November 2026 and covers, among other things, exports of agricultural crops and food industry products.

Key figures

• Export costs refunded
• Support up 35% on average
• For shipments from Nov 2026
• Freight: up to 50% covered
• New markets: US, SE Asia
• Phases: 2026 and July 2027

What has changed

The program was updated following the directive of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the “Egypt Forum 2026”. Core support for exporters rises by 35% on average, varying by sector and its needs. The list of covered programs includes agricultural crops, food industries, textiles, chemicals and other sectors; free zones are excluded. The United States and Southeast Asian countries are added as target markets. Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid said the aim is to ease exporters' costs, raise the competitiveness of Egyptian products and open new markets.

In figures

Support for shipping and insurance under the new program:

• Sea and land freight — 50% of transport costs to countries in Africa, Latin America, Australia, Southeast Asia, and to Russia.
• Express shipping — 25% of the electronic invoice value, subject to controls.
• Air freight under the agricultural crops program — 25% for Europe and 50% for the United Kingdom.
• Domestic transport — 25% of cost.
• Cargo insurance — 25% of the approved insurance policy value.

What this means for the buyer

For an Egyptian farm that grows crops for export, the program lowers logistics costs: the state refunds half of sea and land freight to target markets, plus part of the cost of air freight, domestic transport and insurance. This improves the margin on export shipments and gives more confidence when planning to expand acreage and renew machinery. The rate depends on the sector and program, and payout depends on complete documents, so it is best to confirm the exact terms before signing an export contract and to allow for the payout timing in your purchase budget.

Phases and payout rules

The program runs in two phases. The short-term phase, before the end of 2026, aims for a quick effect on export growth and attracting new companies. The medium-term phase, until July 2027, aims to address the challenges facing exports and seize available opportunities. Disbursement rules stay the same, but companies must submit complete files with all required data and documents: files are checked for completeness before acceptance and receipt is confirmed, to prevent backlogs and payment delays.

Source: Cabinet of the Arab Republic of Egypt, 5 November 2026