Sources from the local pharmaceutical industry circles have reacted to accusations leveled against the Egyptian military for its alleged attempt to control the distribution of subsidized infant milk, saying that military was not culpable in a current shortage that has led to protests from parents.
Ahmed al-Ezaby, head of the pharmaceutical industry chamber within the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), said that the army only supervised the tender that took place to select the companies that will import the milk into Egypt during the year 2017.
In remarks to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Ezaby said that four companies, which he did not name, were selected during the tender.
The pharmacy sources added that the military's intervention was requested by the Health Ministry’s pricing committee, in an effort to prevent the importing companies from monopolizing the sale of milk packages.
According to the sources, the military immediately intervened and found out that the milk packages arriving into Alexandria seaport cost LE17 at most; exempt from taxes and customs. Sovereign authorities tasked with investigating the issue have documents proving that the price of the package does not exceed LE17 upon arrival in Egypt.
The Health Ministry attempted to convince the companies to sell packs for LE40, after a government subsidy. The companies refused, however, and intend to continue selling the packages more than LE100 each, the sources said.
Dozens of mothers staged a protest on Thursday against a shortage of the infant milk, which is primarily being imported by the Egyptian Pharmaceutical Trading Company in Cairo.
Critics on facebook and twitter have said the military took over the process of importing infant milk to expand its business empire, which already covers the industries of foodstuffs, private schools, hotels, hospitals and home appliances. However, Army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir responded on Saturday saying that Armed Forces found that the companies importing infant milk are monopolizing the sale of milk packages; driving up prices and increasing the struggle for low income families.
Samir added that the Armed Forces currently have no stocks of infant milk, and they plan to import their first batch on 15 September. The milk will be distributed to pharmacies and sold at a price of LE30 per pack - instead of the full price of LE60 per pack: a discount of 50 percent.
