Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail reversed on Monday the government's decision to exempt frozen poultry from taxes and custom duties, a decision which has caused uproar among local poultry producers who argue the move would hurt local industry.

Last week , PM Ismail issued a decision to exempt imported frozen poultry from customs duties from 10 November 2016 to 31 May 2017.

The decision roused controversy in Egypt as local poultry producers rejected the decision, seeing it as a threat to the local industry.  

Abdel-Aziz El-Sayad, the head of the poultry division in Cairo's Chamber of Commerce, told Ahram Online that the prime minister  held a meeting on Sunday with the heads of the local poultry industry to discuss their complaints and their point of view regarding the decision.

On Sunday, the PM said in a press conference that the cabinet "is studying the decision from all angles" and will draw up a report on the matter.

Locally produced poultry known as "baladi" chicken, which many Egyptian consumers prefer, is more expensive than imported frozen chicken.

According to El-Sayad, the local poultry industry in Egypt covers nearly 90 percent of the market's needs.