Egyptians aghast at govt after being told to eat chicken feet to tide over food crisis 

The Egyptian government’s order asking people to consume chicken feet has come under heavy flak from the people as soaring inflation drives up prices of essential food items in the country.

Egypt is facing one of its worst economic instability in five years and suffering a record currency crisis. Its inflation went over 30 per cent in March, making it difficult for people to afford dietary staples, especially chicken.

Over the past 12 months, the Egyptian Pound has lost half its value when compared to the US dollar.

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Since Egypt depends on food imports to a large extent to feed its population of 100 million, the drop in currency value has created a food shortage and as a result, the cost of some products, including oil and cheese, has doubled or tripled.

In light of the development, the nation’s National Institution for Nutrition in January called on people to switch to eating chicken feet, which are normally given to dogs and cats and considered a cheap source of protein.

The order triggered a massive outcry amongst the citizens who couldn’t believe that their government would ask them to resort to foods considered to be symbols of extreme poverty in the country.

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“One seller told me the price for a kilo of chicken fillets was LE160. Others say 175, 190, even 200," says Wedad, a mother-of-three in her sixties, told BBC. "Nowadays, even one egg is sold for LE5 [US $0.16; £0.13]."

Even as the people point fingers at the government for this turmoil, President Adbdul Fattah al-Sisi often blames the 2011 Egyptian uprising and rapid population growth for his country's current economic instability. He also points to the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Egypt is the world's second-biggest importer of wheat. Its two primary suppliers were Russia and Ukraine. However, the war in March last year disrupted exports to Egypt.

Moreover, Russian and Ukrainian holidaymakers contributed a lot to Egypt’s robust tourism sector.

However, the war dealt a serious blow to the tourism sector—which generates about 5 per cent of GDP—that was already hit by the pandemic

(With inputs from agencies)

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