The cigarette crisis in Egypt reached a dangerous point, which led to the intervention of Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli. An emergency meeting was held at the government headquarters in the new city of El Alamein.

Monitoring Oriental Company’s Activities

The Egyptian government has been closely monitoring the activities of the Oriental Company. This includes monitoring the production volume of the company’s various products and the implementation of work plans and development programs to increase production and achieve market balance.

The representative stated: The meeting also discussed the provision of raw materials for the production operations, especially “cigarettes”. There has been an increase in orders for raw materials, leading to an increase in daily production and supply to stabilize the market and control prices for “cigarettes”.

Oriental Company’s Market Share

It was noted during the meeting that the Oriental Company accounts for about 75% of the volume of the cigarette market in Egypt. Efforts are constantly being made to offer more diverse products, especially “cigarettes”, to meet market demand.

Rising Prices and Government Intervention

Rising prices for cigarettes, up to £20 a pack, have raised concerns among smokers. The crisis has also affected retail outlets, including shops and kiosks. The government has announced its intention to intervene and establish new procedures and mechanisms to end the unjustified price growth for cigarettes.

Ibrahim Imbabi, head of the Tobacco Department of the Federation of Egyptian Industries and head of the Parliamentary Plan and Budget Committee, holds the government responsible for the recent rise in cigarette prices. He attributes it to the government’s delay in issuing tax amendments.

Source: Egyptian media