The fodder shortage shed light on the impact of the import and dollar crises related to both the economic repercussions of the war in Ukraine and the uncertainty over the exchange rate amid ongoing negotiations between Egypt and the International Monetary Fund to obtain a new loan.
A representative of the Poultry Producers Association said in a TV interview earlier this week that supplies of about 1.5 million tons of corn and 500,000 tons of soybeans are stuck in ports, forcing some poultry farmers to cull chicks they cannot feed. Videos of the executions sparked outrage on social media.
The Ministry of Agriculture stated that a committee will meet every week to ensure the availability of fodder, noting that about 500,000 tons of corn and 250,000 tons of soybeans are needed every month.
About 62,000 tons of soybeans have already been released this week, worth $44 million.
The war in Ukraine increased the cost of Egypt’s purchases of wheat and oil, as well as its need for dollars, and caused a decline in tourism revenues from Ukraine and Russia, two major markets.
Importers in Egypt are finding it difficult to pay for goods, from cars and electrical appliances to textiles. Although wheat and other strategic commodities are exempted from import restrictions imposed by the Central Bank of Egypt, it is estimated that about 700,000 tons of wheat are stuck in ports.
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