The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade launched on Monday a mega project to establish 17 green food hubs across Egypt in collaboration with the Ministry of International Cooperation, the Internal Trade Development Authority (ITDA), and the French Development Agency (AFD).
The project includes building a group of logistics hubs and markets for the retail and wholesale of vegetables and fruits, along with fridges and areas dedicated to packaging and sorting, according to a statement by the supply ministry.
The new green food hubs will use modern technology and clean energy in their operations and design. The hubs will also include waste recycling in a safe and sustainable way.
The green food hubs plan comprises building 17 hubs across Egypt, according to Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi.
The new hubs will recycle solid and nonsolid food waste including residues of vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat using clean energy based on the model used in French wholesale markets, said Ibrahim Ashmawy, head of the ITDA and advisor to the supply minister.
Reducing waste will increase reserves of food products throughout the year, which will help in controlling prices, Ashmawy added.
He announced that the first green food hub will be built in Ismailia on 100 feddans with EGP 3 billion in investments in collaboration with the AFD and the private sector.
Egypt seeks to control food prices amid the rising inflation. Earlier in October, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the government would reduce the prices of seven basic commodities by 15 to 25 percent.
The Egyptian government exempted a list of 12 basic foods from customs duties for six months.
Since 2006, AFD Group has built a solid and comprehensive portfolio of 3.1 billion euros to assist the Egyptian government in reconciling economic development and climate change control objectives, while still promoting social welfare and inclusion in the country.
Source: Ahram Online