The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation announced that the board of the National Veal Project, chaired by Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk, had approved new funding worth EGP 80.885m for small-scale breeders and young graduates to raise and fatten 1,148 head of cattle. The funding falls under the presidential Decent Life initiative, which aims to develop rural Egypt and improve citizens’ living standards.
The approval reflects the state’s continued commitment to supporting food security and protecting citizens from market fluctuations.
Farouk said the National Veal Project had become one of the state’s key instruments for increasing domestic supplies of red meat and dairy products. Total funding disbursed since the project’s launch has exceeded EGP 11.535bn, benefiting approximately 46,416 small-scale breeders and young graduates in raising and fattening more than 543,710 head of cattle.
He explained that these figures reflected the state’s efforts to establish a robust livestock production system capable of narrowing the food gap, supporting market stability and ensuring that citizens have access to meat and dairy products at fair prices, while balancing the interests of producers and consumers.
Farouk stressed the need to intensify field visits to beneficiaries across all governorates and provide comprehensive veterinary care and technical support to maximise production. He added that the government continuously monitors the challenges facing breeders and works to resolve them promptly.
He also said the state would continue to channel substantial investments into domestic meat and dairy production to strengthen food security and create job opportunities. These efforts are intended to support market stability and ensure that citizens’ needs are met at more balanced prices.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Mostafa El Sayad said state support extended beyond financing to include thorough field inspections of livestock housing facilities and access to livestock insurance at reduced rates through the Livestock Insurance Fund. The support is complemented by continuous monitoring from the ministry’s specialised technical and veterinary authorities.
El Sayad stressed that the continued expansion of the National Veal Project would directly contribute to increasing domestic red meat and dairy production, easing market pressures and supporting price stability. This would strengthen the state’s ability to provide citizens with essential food commodities amid global economic challenges.
Tarek Soliman, Head of the Livestock and Poultry Development Sector, said applications to join the project remained open to small-scale breeders and young graduates across all governorates.
He added that the project would help create thousands of jobs, increase rural household incomes and support the state’s plans to achieve comprehensive development and improve living standards in rural Egypt.