Egyptian authorities have cautioned poultry producers against engaging in price manipulation as part of broader efforts to keep the local market stable in the lead-up to Ramadan, a period marked by heightened food demand. The move reflects growing government focus on preventing artificial price increases while ensuring the sector remains economically viable.
The Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, held discussions with Mahmoud Mumtaz, head of the Egyptian Competition Authority, and representatives of the General Association of Poultry Producers to address regulatory issues and bottlenecks within the supply chain. During the talks, Farouk emphasized the strategic importance of the poultry industry to national food security and underscored the need to strike a balance between supporting producers and protecting consumers from inflated prices.
Mumtaz highlighted that the Competition Authority is actively tracking pricing behavior across all links in the poultry value chain. He stressed that coordinated actions between producers, whether at the same level of production or across different stages of distribution, would not be permitted if they result in higher costs for consumers. According to Mumtaz, enforcing competition law is essential to maintaining healthy market dynamics and safeguarding the broader economy.
Officials also reviewed government initiatives aimed at ensuring the steady availability of feed and other essential inputs so farms can continue operating efficiently. Additional discussions focused on narrowing the disparity between prices received by farmers and those paid by consumers, including stronger market supervision and providing support that enables producers to expand output.
Representatives of the poultry producers’ association affirmed their commitment to setting prices independently, guided by supply and demand rather than collective agreements. They also indicated plans to boost production in the coming weeks to accommodate the expected seasonal surge in consumption.
Senior agriculture officials and industry leaders, including the deputy minister of agriculture and the head of the poultry association, were present at the meeting, alongside several board members, signaling coordinated efforts between government and industry to manage the market during a critical period.
