The Agricultural Bank of Egypt (ABE) has highlighted flax and its economic importance as a multi-purpose crop whose benefits extend to many industries, from textiles and oils to animal feed and particleboard.

The bank explained that flax has been tied to Egyptian civilisation since the time of the pharaohs and remains important today. Its value is not limited to the fibres used in textile manufacturing: its seeds are pressed for oil, the seed cake can be used as animal feed, and flax shives are used to make particleboard.

The village of Shubra Mals in Gharbia Governorate, known as "Egypt's flax fortress" and "green gold", is one of the country's leading centres for collecting, preparing and processing flax, where generations of expertise come together across the different stages of production.

Activity in the village is not limited to flax grown on its own land; it also receives flax from various governorates, which boosts the economic activity linked to the crop and creates opportunities to add value across multiple stages of preparation and processing.

Egyptian flax products reach global markets, led by China, reflecting the crop's importance in supporting industrial and export activity.

The Agricultural Bank of Egypt affirmed its continued role in supporting Egyptian farmers throughout their journey, from planting to turning crops into value-added products, helping to make the most of the land's bounty and strengthen economic activity linked to the agricultural sector.