The Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Crop Production in Egypt, Mahmoud Ata, announced that tomato prices in Egypt have soared to a a staggering 400 percent.
During a phone-in interview on the “Sala el Tahrir” program on Sada El Balad channel, Ata attributed the surge to two main factors: the transition between growing seasons and the involvement of multiple intermediaries in the commodity’s supply chain, Al-Shorouk website reported.
He also pointed the finger at greedy merchants hiking up prices, particularly at the end of the growing season, a situation he described as unacceptable.
Ata noted that the Ministry of Agriculture is collaborating with the Ministry of Supply and all relevant authorities to regulate the markets for agricultural crops.
He assured that Egypt is not facing a production crisis but instead enjoys self-sufficiency in all vegetable and fruit crops, and is even a leading exporter, with exports reaching 6.4 million tons this year.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture indicated that the Minister of Agriculture has directed that there be stricter monitoring along with providing advice, guidance, and awareness to farmers and traders.
He clarified that the impact of climate change on Egypt has been minimal, with production decreasing by no more than 10 percent.
