Cairo – Al Ahram Daily

The Egyptian Minister added that all necessary legal frames are in place for executing the agreement following the meeting of the joint committee headed by the Egyptian Prime Minister, Dr. Ahmed Nadeef, this coming October.    
For his part, the advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Dr. Saad Nassar, said the Sudan should have priority with respect to any external Egyptian investments in the agricultural sector. "This is particularly true when we know that there are adequate guarantees for the success of such projects, such as services, electric power, trained labor and a capable banking and legal system," Dr. Nassar added.
Meanwhile the Egyptian Minister went on to say that Al Gezira Scheme that covers an area of about 2 m feddans which is represented by the Sudanese Government, agricultural co-ops is fully committed to carry out full agriculture works, supply of crops to the Egyptian parties according to standard specifications, terms and conditions, quantities   and the prices to be agreed upon.
The Minister added that the agreement document obliges the Egyptian side to make available and supply of inputs for crops to be grown and adequate quantities of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and mechanization two weeks at least before the agricultural season. In addition, it allows the Egyptian side to obtain agricultural loans from the Principal Bank for Development for Agricultural Credit or Bank of Egypt in Sudan.

"According to the agreement, when the Sudanese Al Gezira Scheme makes its final deliveries of the agricultural products to the Egyptian side, it will get all its financial dues agreed upon immediately," the Minister said. He added that the cost of the agricultural production inputs that is borne by the Egyptian side and delivered to the Sudan before the agricultural season will then be deducted.