During a meeting with a delegation from the farmers' union on Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture Salah el-Din Helal said that he understands the farmers' dispute with the Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit, but he does not have the capacity to cancel their debts.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation will import fertilizers to make up for the shortage, said the Minister. Farmers currently need about 1.2 million tons of fertilizers, he added, pointing out that Egypt will need even more during the summer.
Helal promised to work on resolving the major agricultural issues in the coming period, adding that he was instructed by the president to complete the million-acre project as quick as possible, given its importance for Egypt's food security.
He also promised to tackle the recent seizures of agricultural land, many of which are illegal.
"President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, during our last meeting, stressed that farmers should unite their efforts to achieve agricultural development, regardless of the circumstances," said Osama al-Gahsh, head of the farmers' union.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
