Abstract
This study investigates the economic performance and sustainability challenges of broiler production in Egypt, focusing on Qalyubia Governorate. It addresses the persistent national white meat deficit, suboptimal self-sufficiency, and significant market price volatility, largely driven by escalating input costs and consumer demand. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach with primary data from 20 purposively sampled farms in Banha and Toukh, the research reveals a national average poultry meat self-sufficiency rate of approximately 96.4% (2010-2022), indicating a narrow but chronic food gap. At the farm level, broiler production shows high profitability, with an average net return per 45-day cycle of EGP 185,420 and a return on invested capital (ROIC) of EGP 0.33, exceeding traditional bank investment returns. However, this profitability is precarious due to overwhelming reliance on costly inputs (feed, chicks, contributing 86% of total costs) and significant marketing challenges, identified by 80-90% of farmers. The study highlights both economic resilience and acute vulnerabilities, advocating for interventions to stabilize markets, enhance resource efficiency, and support local feed supply chains for long-term sustainability.
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References
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