![](/_img/px.gif) |
Russia's grain ban showcases Egypt's love of bread
19.08.2010 10:59 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
Russias temporary ban on grain exports is stirring both political and economic anxiety in Egypt, the worlds largest wheat importer where half of the 80 million residents rely on subsidized bread to survive.
Russia, which supplies more than 50 percent of Egypts wheat imports, had announced a temporary ban on grain exports earlier this month because of a drought. In addition, Ukraine on Tuesday said it plans to halve grain exports for the rest of the year.
The Russian move predictably sent global grain prices higher. But for Egypt, it carried serious political and economic implications, and came at a delicate time for a government already accused of corruption and ignoring the needs of the poor.
Protests over rising food prices have been rife ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections this year and presidential elections next year, giving rise to concerns about who will steer a nation that has known one ruler for almost 30 years.
On Monday, a 24-year-old man known to suffer a heart condition died while waiting in a chaotic bread line outside a bakery in southern Egypt. Authorities said he died after a two-hour wait in the line on a particularly hot day.
The media called him «the first victim» of bread lines in the holy month of Ramadan, when consumption of bread and baked sweets are at an all time high.
«Subsidized bread is the most important thing the government gives to the people,» said Egyptian economist Mohammed Abu Pasha of investment house EFG-Hermes. «It is a very basic and sensitive issue and the government had to act quickly to reassure people. It is not about elections, its about possible social unrest.»
Even the language here conveys how essential bread is. Egyptians alone in the Arab world call it «aish,» Arabic for «life.» Its one of the few affordable staples in the country costing the equivalent of $0.01 per round loaf.
Its subsidization, for decades, was one of the many unwritten «understandings» between the government and the countrys poor majority, even though food subsidies cost the country $3 billion per year or roughly 65 percent of what it made in fiscal 2009 from the Suez Canal, one of its key foreign currency revenue sources.
Along with education and health care, the governments tacit pledge to help shoulder the costs of key goods was integral to its ability to appease a nation where officials are widely seen as corrupt, favoring wealthy business interests at the expense of the nearly 50 percent of Egyptians who live on less than $2 per day.
26.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:28 |
Ongoing Economic Crisis in Argentina Impacts Dairy |
15.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:28 |
Decline of China Pork Imports Continues in 2024 |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
08:20 |
Lower Prices Propel Mexico 2023/24 Soybean Meal Imports |
13.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:15 |
China Imports of Major Feed Grains at Record for Oct-May period |
12.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
01:08 |
Climate risks projected to affect fish biomass around the world's ocean, FAO report says |
06.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:15 |
Global cereal production 2024 forecast scaled up and now set to exceed the 2023 level |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:01 |
FAO Food Price Index stable in June |
03.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
12:31 |
World pear production for MY 2023/24 is projected up more than 275,000 tons to 25.2 million |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
12:23 |
U.S. wheat exports are forecast to rebound by more than a million tons in the 2024/25 marketing year |
01.07.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
08:58 |
World apple production for MY 2023/24 is forecast to rise more than 700,000 tons to 83.7 million |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
08:39 |
World coffee production for 2024/25 is forecast to rebound 7.1 million bags |
25.06.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
17:57 |
Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European banks report strengthening loan demand and improving profitability |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
17:05 |
Global Environment Facility approves $70 million to support FAO projects in 28 countries |
24.06.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
04:15 |
Emergency brake triggered for oat imports from Ukraine |
23.06.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:00 |
Colombia Production: Two Periods of Sharp Decline |
19.06.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
15:35 |
World pear production for MY 2023/24 is projected up more than 275,000 tons to 25.2 million |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:35 |
India Apple Imports Forecast at a Record High |
12.06.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:21 |
FAO Food Price Index slightly up in May: higher cereal and dairy prices offset easing sugar and vegetable oil quotations |
03.06.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
14:04 |
Commission clarifies support for farmers in case of exceptional weather events |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
13:33 |
Digitalization: it is time to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas |
22.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
18:25 |
Two years of Solidarity Lanes have brought the EU, Ukraine and Moldova closer together |
21.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
08:10 |
Seven additional private sector leaders announce support for Antimicrobial Use Stewardship Principles in poultry, now includes over 40% of global poultry meat production |
13.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
23:32 |
EU extends trade support to Ukraine for one more year |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
04:36 |
European Union corn is forecast at 18.0 million tons |
11.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
18:55 |
2024/25 Grain Consumption Expands while Trade Moderates |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
18:47 |
Oilseeds Stocks Forecast to Reach Record Highs in 2024/25 |
06.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:17 |
The International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026 Approved by the UN General Assembly, it will increase awareness of the crucial role women farmers play in agrifood systems |
04.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
08:10 |
2024 wheat forecast trimmed |
03.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
21:25 |
Rising international quotations for meat, cereals and vegetable oils offset drops for dairy and sugar |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
07:10 |
El Niño and La Niña: four crucial steps to build climate resilience |
01.05.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
08:25 |
Acute hunger remains persistently high in 59 countries with 1 in 5 people assessed in need of critical urgent action |
29.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:43 |
New CEO at BASF: Martin Brudermüller hands over to Markus Kamieth |
25.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:45 |
Parliament approves a revision of the EU’s common agricultural policy |
23.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
16:23 |
MEPs approve trade support measures for Ukraine with protection for EU farmers |
17.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
18:08 |
Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food predicts this year’s harvest of grains and oilseeds at about 74 million tonnes |
16.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
12:12 |
West Africa Cocoa Shortage Pushes Up Prices |
11.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
23:48 |
U.S. Soybean Meal Exports Forecast at Consecutive Records in 2022/23 and 2023/24 |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
23:10 |
EU Wheat Exports Challenged by Russia’s Growing Dominance |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
11:30 |
Country of origin of honey must be clearly visible on the label. EU honey traceability system to be developed |
10.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
15:59 |
Commission starts setting up the Agriculture and Food Chain Observatory |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
15:33 |
Commission approves ˆ2.2 billion German State aid scheme to support the decarbonisation of industrial processes to foster the transition to a net-zero economy |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
13:17 |
Donau Soja urges EU for clarity on EUDR implementation |
09.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:44 |
Ukraine remained the third source of EU imports in 2023, with a value of EUR 11.8 billion |
06.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:04 |
World cereal output seen up in 2023/24 |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:55 |
FAO Food Price Index rises in March |
05.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:04 |
Shellfish Crop Insurance Program Offers Oyster Producers Needed Protection from Environmental Challenges and More |
03.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
23:01 |
Croatian horseradish root ‘Ludbreški hren' added to register of Protected Designations of Origin |
02.04.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
10:15 |
FAO and chef Fatmata Binta announce new project to empower women fonio producers in Ghana |
28.03.2024 |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
12:55 |
Council compromise on Ukraine ATMs – Only a half step forward in the right direction |
![](/_img/new/picto_new.gif) |
09:18 |
Commission approves amendment to Italian State aid scheme to support companies in Friuli Venezia Giulia in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine |
Also available:
![](/_img/new/px.gif)
|
| ![](/_img/new/px.gif) |
|
![](/_img/new/px.gif) |