Egypt Daily News – Egg prices in Egypt have reached record levels, primarily due to a significant decline in local production caused by feed shortages experienced since 2022.
Currently, a carton of eggs for consumers costs approximately 180 Egyptian pounds (around 3.7 USD), while the farm price is about 167 EGP (3.43 USD), reflecting a more than 25% increase since the start of the year.
This increase has been attributed to some poultry producers exploiting the situation to increase profit margins amid decreased local supply.
To counteract rising prices, the Egyptian government has begun importing eggs, with recent imports totaling around 30 million eggs sold at a lower price of 150 EGP (3.08 USD) per carton.
Despite this effort, experts within the poultry sector express skepticism about the effectiveness of imports in resolving the crisis, noting that Egypt had previously been self-sufficient in egg production, which produces around 14 billion eggs annually.
The poultry industry has faced significant challenges, such as a shortage of imported feed exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war and currency issues, which have also driven up feed prices.
Producers have reportedly reduced egg prices slightly following government imports, but price manipulation concerns remain, as the actual costs of production do not seem aligned with retail prices.
The overall decrease in local production—down from 1.2 million trays daily to 400,000—along with seasonal increases in demand, particularly with upcoming holidays, have further complicated the pricing situation.
While some believe importing eggs is not the ultimate solution, continued government intervention, such as securing feed and encouraging local production, is deemed necessary for stabilizing the market and restoring self-sufficiency.
