The “Egg Prices” Crisis Escalates in Egypt.. A Boycott Campaign Amid Government Promises of a Solution

The “egg prices” crisis in Egypt has escalated, with government promises to find a solution, and a boycott campaign blaming traders for the crisis after the price of a “carton of eggs” exceeded 180 EGP (the dollar is equivalent to approximately 48.53 EGP in Egyptian banks).

The “Citizens Against High Prices for Consumer Protection” association (a non-governmental organization) has called on Egyptians to boycott “table eggs” through a campaign titled “Let it Spoil.” The head of the association, Mahmoud Al-Asqalani, said today (Thursday) that the recent increases, which pushed prices beyond 180 EGP, are “unjustified and unfair, necessitating consumer intervention and an egg boycott.”

Egypt is experiencing a wave of inflation that has led to successive increases in the prices of basic goods and services. In recent weeks, there have been complaints about the rising prices of many products, especially poultry, eggs, tomatoes, and potatoes. In response, the Egyptian government is working to address the rising prices of goods in markets through official distribution outlets offering discounted prices, and by launching various initiatives with producers and traders to reduce prices.

Current Egg Prices Trends and Government Efforts to Regulate the Market

The Vice President of the “General Federation of Poultry Producers,” Tharwat El-Zeni, stated that “arrangements are being made between the Ministries of Supply and Agriculture and the General Federation of Poultry Producers to implement an initiative to reduce the price of a carton of eggs to 150 EGP at outlets.” In televised remarks on Wednesday evening, he clarified that the initiative “will be activated within a few days.”

El-Zeni confirmed that “Egypt is self-sufficient in table egg production,” noting that “by mid-October, there will be an abundance in production, and the supply will increase.”

According to El-Zeni, “the current price of a carton of eggs at the farm is around 163 EGP, and it reaches consumers at a price ranging between 175 and 180 EGP.” Meanwhile, informed sources, as reported by local media today (Thursday), indicated that “there have been intensive government efforts in recent hours to resolve the egg price crisis and the increase in the prices of some other goods. There has also been an emphasis on tightening market regulation.” The sources hinted that the coming hours “will witness solutions to the crisis.”

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Dr. Gamal Siam, a professor of agricultural economics in Egypt, attributed the “egg crisis” to “some producers exiting the market in recent times.” He told Asharq Al-Awsat that “the period that saw a rise in feed prices pushed some producers out of the market.” He added that “eggs are a vital and in-demand commodity, especially with the start of the new school year in the country, which makes it difficult to boycott them. Therefore, there must be fundamental solutions to the crisis that increase supply, leading to lower prices.”

About two weeks ago, the “Competition Protection and Anti-Monopoly Practices Authority” in Egypt filed a lawsuit against 21 major egg producers, accusing them of “monopoly and agreeing on high prices for selling eggs in violation of the law,” according to an official statement from the authority.

Former President of the “Consumer Protection Agency,” Major General Radi Abdel-Aty, confirmed that Egyptian law criminalizes monopolistic practices of goods, whether by hoarding them or raising their prices. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that “boycott campaigns are not aimed at boycotting the product itself, but are a societal tool to combat the behavior of some traders. Therefore, the goal should not be to boycott the commodity, but to boycott the trader, which will lead to their goods going to waste.”

The “Consumer Protection Agency” is intensifying its market inspection campaigns. In this context, the head of the agency, Ibrahim El-Sigini, stated today (Thursday) that “there are clear and specific instructions from the Prime Minister to the agency and other relevant regulatory bodies in Egypt to monitor all markets and shops and to deal decisively with any violations in accordance with the law.”