Egypt steps up fight against feed counterfeiting to protect farmers, food security

The Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture has announced the launch of a large-scale campaign to combat counterfeit animal feed. The decision is related to numerous complaints from farmers about low-quality and counterfeit products, as well as rising production costs.

According to the ministry, the initiative is aimed at protecting animal health, stabilizing production costs and strengthening the country’s food security. The campaign is being carried out as part of a broader program to “bring order to the feed market” and create conditions for fair competition.

First inspection results

Joint inspection raids involving police and regulatory authorities revealed numerous violations. Feed of unknown origin, expired products and batches stored in unsanitary conditions were found in circulation. The detained batches were seized, violators risk fines and prison terms.

As noted by the media adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mohamed El-Kersh, the ultimate goal of the campaign is not punishment, but the creation of transparent conditions for legal business and attracting investment in the feed sector.

Farmers’ support

Farmers’ associations welcomed the initiative. “We support inspection campaigns against unscrupulous feed sellers, especially in the context of sharp price increases and questionable product quality on the market,” said Hussein Abu Saddam, head of the Farmers’ Syndicate.

He stressed that poor-quality feed damages not only the health of animals, but also the quality of meat and dairy products, which ultimately reduces the overall level of agricultural production and food supply.

According to AgEconSearch, Egyptian broiler farms require an average of 2.7 tons of feed to produce 1 ton of live weight, while in more developed countries it is about 2 tons. Experts note that improving feed efficiency could reduce costs by 25%.