Large frozen poultry imports affect Egyptian poultry farmers

Egyptian poultry farmers are currently facing significant financial challenges due to the government’s policy of allowing large-scale imports of frozen chicken. This situation has led to substantial losses for local farmers, threatening the sustainability of the domestic poultry industry.

For the second consecutive season, Egyptian poultry farmers have been struggling to compete with the influx of cheaper imported frozen chicken. According to Tharwat Al-Zaini, Vice President of the Egyptian Poultry Producers Union, local farmers are losing approximately 7 Egyptian pounds (US$0.14) per kilogram of chicken in live weight. This financial strain is putting the very survival of Egypt’s poultry industry at risk.

In 2023, Egypt’s chicken meat production was estimated at around 1.59 million tonnes. The country had nearly doubled its poultry production between 2010 and 2019, but in the past five years, production has stagnated. The situation worsened in June 2023 when the Egyptian government temporarily lifted duties on frozen chicken imports, primarily benefiting Brazilian poultry producers who supply the bulk of these imports. Local traders reported that Brazil delivered approximately 200,000 tonnes of poultry to Egypt last year, significantly increasing overall import levels.