Cairo division proposes pricing committee to stabilize poultry sector
Poultry prices in Egypt climbed sharply on October 9, 2026, reaching 85 Egyptian pounds per kilogram for white poultry in Qalyubia markets, while farmgate prices across the country fluctuated between 62 and 80 Egyptian pounds following producer exits from the market.
Shrinking Supply Pushes Poultry Prices Higher
Farmgate prices that previously sat between 62 and 67 pounds per kilogram moved up to 80 pounds due to shrinking supply, pushing consumer prices up to roughly 90 pounds. Meanwhile, reporting noted that Sameh El-Sayed, head of the Poultry Division at the Giza Chamber of Commerce, placed the farmgate price at 71 pounds—up from 58 pounds a month earlier—after production costs climbed between 68 and 70 pounds per kilogram. He explained that higher prices enhance producers’ entry into the system and price stability. The poultry sector in Egypt produces a surplus, which has enabled the expansion of exports. He also noted that the actual cost of producing a kilo of poultry ranges between 68 and 70 pounds, while he believes that the fair price from the producer’s perspective is about 75 pounds per kilo at the farm, which provides a suitable profit margin and helps breeders continue in the production process.
Producers are currently targeting a profit margin of 2 pounds per kilogram per cycle. To stabilize the sector, the Cairo division proposed establishing a dedicated pricing committee to issue periodic fair-value assessments for merchants and consumers, mirroring a regulatory framework last utilized in the 1980s.
Market conditions vary significantly by region. In Qalyubia, tracking by youm7.com on October 9 recorded white poultry at 85 pounds per kilogram, Saso chicken at 94 pounds, and Baladi chicken at 120 pounds, following continuous campaigns to monitor markets and exert control over them within the price reduction initiative launched by Qalyubia governorate in coordination with service directorates including supply and veterinary medicine. Processed cuts in the same area reflected higher retail processing costs, with fillet, strips, cordon bleu, and shawarma priced at 240 pounds per kilogram, shish tawook at 235 pounds, drumsticks at 140 pounds, thighs at 107 pounds, and wings at 65 pounds.
Winter Production Costs and Upcoming Ration Card Integration
Operational expenditures continue to rise as winter approaches, driven by increased heating requirements for poultry farms and upward adjustments in feed prices. Despite these pressures, industry representatives maintain there is no production crisis, attributing current adjustments to normal market rebalancing rather than absolute supply shortages.
