The Egyptian government has warned poultry producers against monopolistic practices and price-fixing as it seeks to stabilise the domestic market ahead of the month of Ramadan.
Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, and Mahmoud Mumtaz, Chairperson of the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA), met with the board of the General Association of Poultry Producers to discuss market regulations and supply chain challenges. Farouk stated that the poultry sector is a primary pillar of Egyptian food security, and that the government aims to balance producer sustainability with the consumer’s right to “fair prices.”
Mumtaz said the ECA is monitoring all stages of the supply chain and will not tolerate horizontal or vertical agreements that impact final consumer costs. He noted that competition law is designed to protect free-market mechanisms for the benefit of the national economy.
The meeting reviewed state efforts to provide fodder and production inputs to maintain farm operations. Officials also discussed measures to reduce the price gap between farm-gate costs and retail prices through increased market oversight and providing facilities to producers to increase capacity.
Members of the General Association of Poultry Producers committed to individual price-setting based on market mechanics of supply and demand. The association stated it would work to increase supply in the coming weeks to meet the anticipated rise in demand during Ramadan.
The meeting was attended by Mustafa El-Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and Mahmoud El-Anani, Chairman of the Poultry Association, alongside several board members.
