Reuters | Wed Sep 29, 2010

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt will lease at least 200,000 acres of farmland this year for agri-business projects in North Sinai, the North Coast and Upper Egypt, the agriculture minister said on Wednesday.

"We have allocated about 90,000 acres of land in North Sinai, between 50,000 and 70,000 acres in Wadi Natroon (on the North Coast), and 60,000 to 70,000 acres in Menya (Upper Egypt)," Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza told Reuters on the sidelines of a business conference in Cairo.

The most populous Arab country said in April it would offer about 100,000 acres for agri-business in North Sinai on a 49-year lease but only to domestic investors.

"We are also offering six zones for poultry production to double our capacity," he added.