Agriculture Min. Reveals Reason behind Rise in Potato, Onion Prices

The Egyptian Minister of Agriculture, Al Sayed el-Quseir said that the farmers see the support and effort made by state institutions for the sector as a whole, noting that the state has taken proactive measures to achieve food security.

El-Quseir continued, in a call-in on “Al-Hadath Al-Youm” satellite channel, on Sunday, that the country has not witnessed any crises in the availability of agricultural products throughout the year, indicating that the ministry is keen to fill the gaps in the availability of agricultural products, planting seasons and overcoming what is known as the agricultural loophole gap by moving to expand greenhouse crops.

Regarding the rise in the prices of potatoes and onions, the Minister of Agriculture confirmed that the current rise is due to the seasonal peak, explaining: “We are looking for alternatives and mechanisms to avoid and reduce that period, and it is expected that this wave of rise will end within 15 days at most,” noting that prices are governed by cost factors such as fertilizers, land rent, and labor, which all lead to an increase in the price.