Mumtaz Moosa | mumtazs@me.com
3 February 2023 | 10:45 AM CAT
1 min read

Photo Credit: Arab News

As public outcry has become eminent on social media, the reality for many Egyptians is that essential staple foods have become a daily struggle for many households. Staple items such as bread have gone up almost three times within the last six months at most local bakeries, and people are calling on the government to accept the reality of the everyday person.

Many stores have posters that limit customers buying essential items such as cooking oil, milk, and rice, as imported items have soared since the start of the Ukraine and Russia war.

Most Egyptians have depended on the government for decades to keep basic food prices affordable.

Over the last few months, local broadcasters have pushed out alternates to help people make better choices; instead of beef, people were told to buy chicken. Soon enough, most people could not afford chicken as the prices increased substantially over the last year.

The deeper problem is the military’s role in the economy, which stretches from petrol stations, greenhouses, pasta factories and beyond. It is a phenomenon that has crowded out the private sector, wary of competing with the most powerful state institution.

The Egyptian pound has fallen over the last six months and is currently the lowest it has ever been, with many citizens facing poverty as the threat to food security grows.