Egypt orders urgent measures to expand food supplies, curb living costs

Egypt’s agriculture minister has ordered government agencies to implement an emergency programme to expand food supplies and ease living costs, following directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, according to a ministry statement on Monday.

Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk said the programme would be coordinated with the Future of Egypt for Sustainable Development Authority and the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade to improve supply chains and increase the availability of essential food products.

The directives follow instructions issued by President El-Sisi during the inauguration of the Strategic Command Headquarters.

Farouk instructed the General Authority for Agrarian Reform (GAAR), the Agricultural Research Centre, and agricultural directorates nationwide to immediately identify unused ministry-owned land, buildings, and other assets that could be converted into retail outlets or modern markets.

He also ordered the rehabilitation of suitable facilities to support food distribution in cooperation with the Future of Egypt for Sustainable Development Authority.

The minister directed the ministry’s production sectors, research stations, livestock and poultry units, the GAAR, and agricultural cooperatives to increase production of crops, meat, poultry, and dairy products to boost domestic supplies.

He also instructed the ministry to expand the distribution of food and agricultural products through permanent and mobile retail outlets, while strengthening oversight to ensure that products move directly from producers to consumers, thereby reducing the role of intermediaries.

The ministry said the relevant departments had been instructed to monitor implementation of the measures on an ongoing basis.