Unprecedented Rise in Prices of a Key Commodity in Egypt

The head of farmers in Egypt, Hussein Abdel Rahman Abu Saddam, pointed out that "the prices of garlic of all types have risen significantly these days, with a kilogram of garlic reaching 50 Egyptian pounds in cities and 40 pounds in villages." Regarding the reasons for the price spike, Abu Saddam explained that "the current period is the garlic season, which is harvested once a year in April, and people are keen to store it, leading to a very high demand for purchase, which has contributed to raising its price." He added that, in addition to this, the export quantities this season are very large compared to the cultivated areas, noting the reduced areas for garlic cultivation this year. The head of farmers called for regulating the export process this season to control this increase, emphasizing that if exports continue, the price per kilogram could reach 100 pounds.