In 1888, a travel guide by the British publishing house John Murray described Maghagha as possessing one of the most important sugar factories in Egypt, with large tracts around the town being devoted to the cultivation of cane sugar, although the amount of sugar produced at the factory had diminished in recent years. There was a branch line connecting Maghagha to Aba al-Waqf and Beni Mazar; it was used to transport cane sugar to sugar mills during the harvest season.
In 1888, a travel guide by the British publishing house John Murray described Maghagha as possessing one of the most significant sugar factories in Egypt, with substantial areas around the town dedicated to cultivating cane sugar, although the quantity of sugar produced at the factory had decreased over the years. There was a branch line connecting Maghagha to Aba al-Waqf and Beni Mazar; it was used to transport cane sugar to sugar mills during the harvest season.