The economic affairs sector affiliated to the Agriculture Ministry, as well as other related research centers, are preparing an official memorandum to demand the cancelation of the Planning Ministry's decision to reduce the Agriculture Ministry's budget during the current fiscal year.
The memorandum will be presented to Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb.
Informed sources said the budget allocated to research centers within the Agriculture Ministry has been reduced from LE600 million to LE400 million.
The current fiscal year's budget is the smallest in the history of the Agriculture Ministry, the sources added.
This decision will result in a reduced budget for the ministry's research and development centers on fisheries, land reclamation, crops and veterinary services, according to the sources.
According to the sources, the Agriculture Research Center's budget decreased from LE69 million to LE20 million, while the Desert Research Center's budget was cut by LE10 million for a total budget of LE13 million.
The land reclamation sector's budget has been reduced from LE243,000 to LE200,000.
The budget cuts will lead to the cancelation of 15 research projects in the agricultural sector and 12 research projects for the Desert Research Center. It also threatens to cut down on projects related to the veterinary sector, the sources mentioned.
The veterinary service sector's budget has been reduced from LE40 million to LE21 million, which will result in a shortage of vaccines given to approximately nine million cattle annually, the sources added.
The cuts will also affect the state's plan to reclaim one million acres and expand olive cultivation.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
