“The Ministry of Agriculture aims to raise Egypt’s poultry production to 1.6 billion birds, up from 1.4 billion last year, and to increase egg production to 16 million eggs a year,” said Tarek Suleiman, head of the Livestock and Poultry Development Sector at the ministry this week.
“The ministry is also adopting measures to ensure the full availability of poultry and eggs in the local market before exporting any surplus,” he noted, adding that a committee will be in charge of determining the sector’s exports based on market supply and consumer demand.
Egypt resumed its poultry exports in 2020 after a 14-year hiatus following the certification of 14 Egyptian facilities by the World Organisation for Animal Health as free of avian flu. It had stopped exporting poultry following an outbreak of avian flu in 2006.
Adel Al-Alfi, managing director of the Cairo Poultry Company, said that exports contribute to the growth of the poultry industry by generating hard currency, vital for importing production inputs, especially feed, which is entirely imported.
Egypt’s poultry exports include chicks, day-old parent stock, frozen chickens, and poultry products such as nuggets and burgers. Increasing exports hinges upon expanding the poultry industry and is affected by declining domestic purchasing power, which may cause supply to exceed market demand, Al-Alfi said.
Presidential decrees 139/2020 and 94/2021 promote the establishment of poultry projects in the desert away from the congested Nile Valley and Delta. Several projects have been implemented as a result, and their production is available locally and for export.
The General Federation of Poultry Farmers has signed protocols with national banks to secure financing for these projects, provide logistical and technical support to poultry producers, enhance farm efficiency, and transition from open to closed systems to increase production and revenue and lower production costs.
Investment in the poultry sector exceeds LE100 billion, Suleiman said. The commercial and rural sectors produce 1.4 billion and 320 million broiler chickens, respectively. Broiler production covers 97 per cent of national demand, and with annual production of 14 million eggs Egypt is self-sufficient in eggs, he added.
The poultry industry employs 3.5 million people. Annual per capita consumption of poultry is estimated at 20 kg and of eggs at about 140.
Some 40 companies export poultry products to 20 countries across the Arab World, Asia, and Africa, Suleiman said, stressing that the volume of poultry exports per month is calculated after factoring in local demand.
To maintain the reputation of Egyptian poultry exports, companies are approved for exporting based on their certifications and compliance with the requirements of the importing country, he added.
The Ministry of Agriculture is implementing plans to increase production in order to reduce final product prices and increase exports. The plans include the ongoing implementation of large-scale poultry projects in the desert, some of which have already begun production. They also involve the conclusion of cooperation protocols between the Ministry of Agriculture and national banks such as the National Bank of Egypt and the Agricultural Bank.
Besides offering technical, logistical, and financial support to small-scale farmers to boost production and enhance profitability, the protocols are meant to facilitate the licensing process for poultry farming, ensure safety on poultry farms, improve efficiency through proper veterinary supervision, and secure all production inputs, particularly feed.
A report by the Livestock and Poultry Development Sector stated that the recent surge in poultry production had resulted from government policies, such as the simplification of licensing procedures and the facilitation of poultry operations while adhering to safety standards.
The government measures also include exempting small-scale farmers from certain legal requirements, easing their access to financing, and tightening oversight over the feed industry and combating commercial fraud.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 7 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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