The former head of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce Khaled Abu Ismail – who currently runs one of the world's largest poultry suppliers – predicted that retail poultry prices would rise to 18 pounds (EGP) per chicken within the next two months.

According to Al Masry Al Youm, he ruled out the idea of reducing custom duties on poultry imports, however, saying this would only serve the interests of importers who would seize the opportunity to raise retail prices.

Abdel Aziz el-Sayyid, poultry director at the Cairo Chamber of Commerce (CCC), said that Egypt was currently suffering a shortage of one million hens per day due to the tightening of licensing restrictions on the nation's poultry farms.

The state-run Food Industries Holding Company is currently in negotiations to import up to 2,000 tons of poultry per month to offset expected Ramadan shortages.