CAIRO - 

An Egyptian official's perception of the cost of lunch for a family of 4 and containing one kilo of meat, along with some rice, vegetables and bread, sparked wide reactions in the Egyptian street and on social media.

In his answer to the cost of one lunch, Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, said in a telephone interview to the “On My Responsibility” program on “Echo Al-Balad” channel on Sunday night, “The meal costs about 300 pounds,” or about 19 dollars, which prompted the announcer. Ahmed Moussa, who is one of the closest media professionals to the authority, said: "The family eats once a month."

While it seems an attempt to adopt the street's restless discourse about the high food prices, the channel's website published the intervention under the title "A strong confrontation between Ahmed Moussa and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture over the high prices."

A strong confrontation between Ahmed Musa and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture about the increase in prices: lunch for a family costs 300 pounds.. And Musa replies: I mean, they eat once a month # Sada Al-Balad # On My Responsibility pic.twitter.com/WPBO4R5wJm

- Sada El Balad (@baladtv) October 23, 2021

The Egyptian official’s talk about the cost of only one meal per day without any other expenses related to health, housing, education, transportation, entertainment, etc. prompted social media activists to point out that the figure mentioned by the Deputy Minister means that the Egyptian family needs an average income of at least 9 thousand pounds per month for one meal, while the minimum wage is only 2,400 pounds (about $153).

According to the data of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics for the year 2019-2020, the average annual per capita income in Egypt is about 17,000 pounds in rural areas, dropping in cities to about 14,000.

Therefore, the statements of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, according to a number of tweeters and activists, revealed the size of the gap between the ordinary citizen and officials, and provoked sarcastic reactions on social media.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture says that the lunch meal for an Egyptian family of 4 costs an average of 300 pounds if it contains a kilo of meat, stressing that the export of agricultural products is not a reason for the increase in prices.

How much do you spend on lunch per day?# Mortada_Mansour pic.twitter.com/7G0sm5v3j8

— alkhatib (@alkhatib283) October 24, 2021

After a statement by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture that the average cost of lunch for average families is 300 pounds... How much does a meal cost for your family?

pic.twitter.com/kAF6wy1D2e

- Muhammad Ali Al-Sawali (@MhdAli1954) October 24, 2021

Masrawy / Deputy Minister of Agriculture: “Lunch costs the family 300 pounds,” and Musa replies: “They eat once a month) The


problem is not in the discretion of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, he may be overestimated. .twitter.com/e33U4DZ3Wu

— sheren fadel (@LadyShere) October 23, 2021

The statements ignited the accounts of some of those interacting with the cost of the meal, which amounted to 300 pounds, and the operations of multiplication, subtraction and division began, and some competed to present their personal perception of the monthly and annual cost of meals, expenses and obligations.

The last period witnessed a clear rise in the prices of many commodities that prompted newspapers and websites to publish topics that talk about descriptions such as “crazy prices” and “crazy jumps”, especially with regard to the prices of meat, fish and eggs, where the rate of increase was between 20 and 30% during the past weeks, added to further increases since the beginning of this year.

The price of a kilo of live poultry in the market jumped to 35 pounds, while the price of a kilo of boneless chicken breasts reached 100 pounds, and the price of an egg dish was about 60 pounds in some areas.

Red meat prices rose by about 20 and 30 pounds within a month, reaching about 160 pounds in popular areas, and increasing to 180 pounds in high-end areas.

According to the government and officially,


lunch costs the family 300 pounds,


meaning breakfast, lunch and dinner 600.


The month remains at


600 x 30 = 18000, there is


still electricity, transportation, treatment, clothes, rent, etc.

# Brother Sherif Mounir,


what is poverty news?


May God destroy your homes pic.twitter.com/hQhfvgo12L

— 𝓓𝓻.𝓐𝓓 (@dondos1969) October 24, 2021

300 pounds a day means 9,000 in the

month just lunch .


If we add the

rest of the

meals, water bills, electricity, gas, transportation, clothing and the

needs of

home and

other such needs hygiene


remains the

minimum wage required remains 18000 of


course this without education and health


like that

like that

Htamot whether treatment Aobdonh

— Ahmed (@x9mTq4iPCUUXfJH) October 24, 2021

I honestly don't have the issue of this lunch,


but if it costs 300 pounds per meal.. That's why I am in the government's account. I don't eat or drink or take a salary https://t.co/Btgv2UHXe0

— Osama Al_Hassan (@official_Osama_) October 24, 2021

According to local newspapers, a number of officials, traders and producers attributed these successive increases in prices to the 30% rise in food and feed prices globally, as well as transportation operations. Egypt imports about 80% of corn and soybeans used in poultry and animal feed.

The prices of grains, sugar, flour and oils also increased, affected by the rise in international prices and the increase in production and shipping costs. Hassan El-Fandi, a member of the Chamber of Food Industries, said that sugar prices are witnessing a significant increase by more than 3,000 pounds per ton, rising to about 1,050 pounds.

Agents of a number of grain mill companies in Egypt told Al Jazeera Net that the prices of flour have been rising significantly since last August, as they have jumped by more than 25%, and the price of a ton ranges between 7 thousand and 9 thousand pounds per ton, depending on the type. and quality.

constant rising

Egypt's increasing dependence on food imports, and lack of self-sufficiency, makes it vulnerable to strong shocks and severe price fluctuations, and the rise in food prices will result in a rise in countries' import bills, according to a report by the Egyptian Center for Thought and Strategic Studies.

The report indicated that international food prices are expected to rise by about 45% during the current and next two years, of which 25% during the current year, and 20% during the next year, which means an increase in consumer food price inflation.

The rise in food prices has already reflected on the inflation rates in Egypt, which imports more than 60% of its needs, and the annual inflation rate for the total of the republic increased by 8% for the month of last September, compared to 3.3% for the same month of the previous year 2020, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. .

In an attempt to calm and reassure public opinion, the Egyptian government said that there is no truth to the existence of a shortage of basic food commodities in any of the markets across the country, stressing the availability of all basic food commodities naturally.