Mubarak Egypt could find place on world markets
Egypt, Economics, 3/22/2001

Egyptian President Mubarak yesterday inaugurated Cairo International Fair which is attended by exhibitors from 73 states including 10 states taking part for the first time besides 3700 national companies and 1600 foreign companies.

Mubarak inspected pavilions of Egyptian agricultural and industrial production.

He called on national companies to meet the needs of domestic market from all products and to give wider attention to the issue of exportation.

President Mubarak listened to a full explanation by Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture Youssef Wali on the Ministry's participation in the 34th Cairo International Fair.

Wali said that when the President assumed the presidency in the early 80s, the volume of agricultural production was around L.E 450 million and has now reached the tune of LE two billion.

He expressed hoped that it would shortly reach L.E five billion.

"Egypt is totally free of mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases," Egypt's highest-ranking agricultural official said.

The Ministry of Agriculture has 15,000 vaccines for all livestock, which helped protect the livestock in Egypt of such diseases, Wali told the press as he accompanied the president at the fair's agricultural sector.

"The vaccine and inocculation institute has enough vaccines to cover the needs of Egypt and even to export to Arab neighbouring countries," he said.

Head of the Agricultural Research Institute Saad Nassar spoke of the importance of biochemistry in the introduction of new types of products in Egypt which are cultivated in the Owainat area and newly reclaimed lands.

"Egypt's total wheat production has increased to 6.8 million tones and grains to 18,5 million tones," he said. "Egypt imports 5.5 million tones of wheat," he added.

President Mubarak then toured the fair's industrial sector. Displayed were electrical appliances, television sets, refrigerators, solar energy water heaters, air conditioners, cars and their spare parts, water pumps and plastic products.

Most of the products were locally made and others had imported inputs and assembled in Egypt.

Mubarak voiced his admiration of the development of the Egyptian industries, talking with companies' representatives about exportation prospects.

A number of trade deals are expected to be struck between Egypt and Arab and African states during the fair, in addition to the meetings that will be held between businessmen.

After Mubarak's tour around the fair, Minister of Information Safwat Al-Sherif said the President promised to visit Tenth of Ramadan and Sixth of October industrial cities to inspect hundreds of new industries and stand on the bulk of investments there.

"The President stressed that the state's institutions and companies are keen not to use any exported products as long as there are local alternatives to them," Sherif said.

"This affords a good opportunity for opening up more Egyptian factories and save hard currency," the Minister quoted Mubarak as saying.

Prime Minister Atef Ebeid said following President Mubarak's tour of the fair amid the cabinet would review at its meeting a programme for exporting 15 commodities adding expected increase in exports of those commodities would range between 15-30 %.

He referred to an Egyptian plan for increasing exports from 5015 billion dollar during a period of five years.

He said the President is keen to inspect the pavilion of youth exporters who get assistance from the government.

Ebeid said that there is a draft republican decree establishing a trade information center to provide information to Egyptian exporters on exportation markets in order to benefit from them in exporting their products.

Ali Al Saeidy the Minister of Electricity and Energy said that electric industries in Egypt have cut a long way adding they have maintained intensive existence in Arab African markets, they also demonstrated their efficiency on world market.

Ebeid said in a statement on the sidelines of the fair that the industry of electric transformers in Egypt has invaded Arab markets.

Previous Stories:
  Increase of German tourist's influx to Egypt despite recent Luxor accident   (3/21/2001)
  Mubarak inaugurates Cairo International Fair   (3/21/2001)
  Technology to figure high on Mubarak's talks in Washington   (3/21/2001)

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