Egypt expects to produce about 6.5 MMT of rice paddy this season vs 5.1 MMT in LY. Egypt this year planted a total area of rice of about 1.8 million feddans (1.87 million acres), which will enable Egypt to double its rice production. The planted area will yield about 4 million tonnes of white rice, consumption of which is expected at 3.3 million tonnes, allowing for a 700,000 tonne surplus. Egypt does not intend to import additional quantities from abroad, which it did last year despite a surplus after farmers refused to sell to the government because of a dispute over the local buying price.