Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, announced that the board of the National Veal Project has approved new financing worth EGP 499.415m for 372 beneficiaries, including small-scale breeders and young graduates, to raise and fatten 7,137 head of livestock.

The financing comes within the framework of the presidential Decent Life initiative to develop the Egyptian countryside and improve citizens’ living standards. Farouk said the move reflects the state’s commitment to strengthening food security and protecting citizens from market volatility.

The minister said the National Veal Project has become one of the state’s most important tools for increasing the supply of red meat and dairy products. He noted that total financing disbursed since the project’s launch has now reached EGP 11.172bn, benefiting more than 46,000 small-scale breeders and young graduates to raise and fatten over 538,500 head of livestock.

Farouk said these figures reflect the state’s success in building a strong livestock production system that contributes to reducing the food gap, supporting market stability, and ensuring the availability of meat and dairy products at fair prices, thereby achieving a balance between the interests of producers and consumers alike.

He stressed the importance of intensifying field monitoring of beneficiaries across all governorates while providing full veterinary care and technical support to ensure the highest production rates. He added that the government continuously monitors any challenges facing breeders and works to address them immediately.

Farouk also said the state will continue injecting substantial investments to support domestic meat and dairy production, strengthen food security, and create new job opportunities, contributing to greater market stability and ensuring citizens’ needs are met at more balanced prices in the period ahead.

For his part, Mostafa El Sayad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, stressed that the state’s support goes beyond providing financing. It also ensures the success of projects through thorough field inspections of livestock farms, subsidised livestock insurance provided through the Livestock Insurance Fund, and continuous follow-up by the ministry’s technical and veterinary authorities.

El Sayad said the continued expansion of the National Veal Project is directly contributing to increased domestic production of red meat and dairy products, easing pressure on markets and supporting price stability, thereby strengthening the state’s ability to provide essential food commodities despite global economic challenges.

Meanwhile, Tarek Soliman, Head of the Livestock and Poultry Development Sector, said applications under the project remain open to small-scale breeders and young graduates in all governorates. He noted that the initiative is helping to create thousands of new jobs, increase rural household incomes, and support the state’s plans to achieve comprehensive development and improve living standards in the Egyptian countryside.

Source - https://www.dailynewsegypt.com