Cairo Restaurant owners protest over meat prices

Some 1,300 restaurants in the Egyptian capital were said to have boycotted meat for a day to protest at prices which have jumped by up to 10% in a four week period.

One importer told the BBC that a tonne of Brazilian beef now costs $700 (£457) more than it did last year.

Imports, which are estimated to make up to 40% of Egypt’s meat market, have also jumped in price with shipments now costing hundreds of dollars more than last year.

Some of the increases were blamed on a jump in the price of animal fodder just over a year ago which has caused Egyptian farmers to slaughter more of their livestock to avoid having to pay the cost of feeding them.

Livestock populations have therefore dwindled and after an initial glut of meat, the price rose. The BBC added that imported meat has also leapt in price.

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