PHL being considered as location for producing Egyptian cotton

EGYPT is exploring the possibility of a Philippine production base for weaving Egyptian cotton, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

“They’re interested in producing Egyptian cotton fabrics here,” Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday.

“They wanted to introduce us to some of the companies that are interested to explore production here,” she added.

Ms. Roque said the possible production tie-up was discussed during a recent meeting with Egyptian Ambassador Nader Zaki.

The two sides also discussed a proposed business roundtable between the Philippines and Egypt, bilateral trade, investment opportunities, and potential partnerships in agriculture, and investment in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the DTI said.

“We had a great discussion about future relations between Egypt and the Philippines, especially on trade and investment and the convening of the bilateral committee between both countries,” Mr. Zaki said in a video recently posted on the DTI’s social media page.

Trade between the Philippines and Egypt surged 92.95% to $36.66 million in 2025, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Also on Monday, the DTI signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Women’s Business Council Philippines, Inc., a nonprofit, to advance women’s economic empowerment policy advocacy, market access, digital transformation, and access to finance.

The partnership seeks to implement the two parties’ “objective of creating inclusive, sustainable, and impactful opportunities that support women entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises across the country,” according to a copy of the MoA. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz