Grain Milling Industry in Al-Qalyubia Governorate (A Study in Geographical Industry)

Grain Milling Industry in Al-Qalyubia Governorate

(A Study in Geographical Industry)



ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the grain milling industry in Qalyubia Governorate through studying its development over different time periods. The evolution of this industry has been linked to the political and economic events that the country has experienced. The number of mills in the governorate has increased by 400% from 1973 until 2020 as a result of private sector participation in this industry, which was previously limited to the public sector. The cities of Shubra, Al Obour, and Al Khanka rank highest in terms of relative importance to the grain milling industry. The governorate currently has 25 mills, with 20% of them being state-owned and 80% privately owned. These mills produce two types of flour: subsidized flour with an extraction rate of 82%, which is used by subsidized municipal bakeries and produced by 16 mills in the governorate and premium flour with a 72% extraction rate, which is used by French-style bakeries and produced by the remaining mills. The grain milling industry in the governorate has been established due to several factors such as raw materials, market demand, labor, capital, energy, subsidies, and governmental policies. However, this industry encounters certain challenges, including idle capacities due to the mills being tied to a specific quantity set by the state, vulnerability to global events due to reliance on imported raw materials, and the increasing production costs.

Keywords: Industry Geography - Grain Milling - Qalyubia Governorate.