The Ministry of Finance published a document proposing the liberalization of fertilizer prices and linking them to international prices, with the implementation of a transitional support program over three years, and the establishment of a fund with five billion pounds to support small farmers. The document said that the release of fertilizer prices aims to eliminate the presence of two prices on the local market, and smuggling subsidized fertilizers into the free market. The price of “free” fertilizers is 4200 L.E per ton, while the price of subsidized fertilizers is 3000 L.E per tons. According to the proposal, the factories will sell fertilizers at free prices, and put the difference in a financial fund that follows the Egyptian Agricultural Bank to provide support to farmers who own less than acres.

Farid Wasel, head of the Farmers Union, said that the transition to monetary support is a good step, but shortening the duration of the subsidy program by 3 years, with decreasing support values ​​annually will not make the farmers’ situation better. Magdy Aboul Ela, the head of the Farmers Union in Giza, warned against applying this program before identifying and registering all farmers eligible for support. The fertilizer market in Egypt is subject to repeated crises due to its high prices or lack of markets. A report issued by CAPMAS revealed that the average urea fertilizer price jumped to 4000 L.E per ton compared to 2825 L.E per ton during the same month of the previous year; an increase of 1,263 L.E per year.