Egypt targets new poultry export markets as domestic output exceeds needs
Egypt is seeking new markets in Africa, the Gulf and elsewhere for surplus poultry production. The country has 59 disease-free facilities registered with the World Organisation for Animal Health and approved for exports.
Production surplus shifts attention to exports
Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation is working to expand poultry exports after domestic production rose above the government’s target. Deputy Agriculture Minister Mostafa El-Sayyad said the current supply of poultry meat and table eggs exceeds planned requirements, creating a surplus that needs additional sales channels.
El-Sayyad described poultry as one of Egypt’s most important strategic industries because it supplies white meat and eggs. According to El Watan, he said the ministry is coordinating with the General Union of Poultry Producers and individual farmers to assess their needs and maintain stability across the industry.
At a recent meeting with the agriculture minister, the producers’ union asked the government to support access to foreign markets. It also requested bank financing to modernise farms. The two demands indicate that producers are seeking both immediate outlets for excess output and investment that can improve production facilities.
Domestic storage forms the first line of support
The ministry is pursuing two channels for the surplus. The first is the domestic market, where it is coordinating with the Ministry of Supply, the Holding Company for Food Industries and state-affiliated consumer complexes. These organisations can absorb additional poultry products and distribute them through established retail networks.
Storage is a central part of this approach. The government plans to provide warehouses and refrigerated capacity so that excess production can be retained and used in subsequent months. That could reduce pressure to sell immediately when supply is high and help smooth availability over time.
The source did not provide figures for Egypt’s current poultry output, the size of the surplus or the additional cold-storage capacity under consideration. It also did not specify the volume that government buyers may purchase. The policy therefore establishes a direction for managing excess supply but does not yet quantify its likely market impact.
Fifty-nine facilities provide an export base
The second channel is international sales. El-Sayyad said Egypt currently has 59 facilities classified as free from disease and avian influenza and registered with the World Organisation for Animal Health. Their status qualifies them to export poultry products to markets abroad, subject to the requirements imposed by each destination.
The ministry is seeking to open new markets in Africa, the Gulf states and other regions. The initiative is intended to increase export revenue, generate foreign currency and support stability in the poultry industry. No target countries, shipment volumes, contract values or timetable for market openings were disclosed.
Actual export growth will depend on more than the number of approved facilities. Producers will need to meet destination-specific veterinary and food-safety rules, while processors and traders must organise cold-chain logistics and commercial relationships with buyers. For Egyptian farmers, successful market access would broaden the customer base for surplus output; for importers, the programme could introduce an additional approved supplier of poultry products and eggs.
