US - By the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). This is a weekly report looking at international developments concerning the poultry industry. This week's report covers the poultry situation and outlook in Egypt.

Egypt

The FSIS Library of Export Requirements reported Egypt has moved whole frozen chicken to the Eligible Products list. Other poultry and poultry products remain on the Ineligible Products list.

The expiration date for whole frozen chicken is 12 months from the date of production. The amount of water collected from thawed poultry must not exceed five per cent.

The exporter must obtain a certificate of Halal slaughter from a member of an Islamic Center or Islamic Organization. In addition, the certificate must be endorsed by the Arabian-American Chamber of Commerce or by an Egyptian Consulate.

All federally inspected establishments are eligible to export to Egypt. Port Said, Egypt, is a free port - all US product is eligible for ship stores for any flagship.

In 1989 the Egyptian government banned the importation of poultry and poultry products in order to protect local production. Prior to the ban, total poultry products imports were estimated at 100,000 tonnes, out of which between 50,000 and 60,000 tonnes of leg quarters were imported from the US.

In 1997, the Egyptian government replaced the ban on frozen imports (to compy with its trade obligations under the Uruguay Round of GATT) with a tariff rate of 80 per cent, which was to be phased out over a period of 10 years.

Egypt reduced the import tariff on frozen poultry and poultry products to 32 per cent in 2004 and in 2006 the tariff rate on poultry was reduced to zero. In March 2007 Egypt reimposed the 32 per cent tariff on poultry but later that year reduced it to 30 per cent.
Source: USDA/ FSIS Library of Export Requirements; USDA/FAS Attaché Reports; U.S. Trade Representative