02:04 PM
Tuesday 07 September 2021
I wrote – Sherine Salah:
A number of importers, who spoke to Masrawy, expected the quality of imported goods to rise with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s announcement of tightening import procedures and imposing European standards as a binding condition for import operations.
Importers explained that the higher quality of goods would raise their price in the local market, but in return it would extend their shelf life due to their high quality.
President Sisi had said today, Tuesday, during an inspection of the development process in the facilities of the Alexandria sea port, that Egypt will not allow the entry of any goods that do not conform to the standards of the country’s sea and land ports, starting from March 2022.
The president warned importers not to abide by the procedures to be followed regarding imposing European standards as a binding condition for import operations from abroad.
Engineer Matta Bishai, a member of the Importers Division of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, said that the president’s tightening of control over imported goods in all sectors confirms that the goods that will enter the country will be good goods, noting that there are some goods that enter the country of poor manufacture.
According to Bishai, applying more precise standards will increase prices in the market, but in return the commodity will have a higher quality.
According to Bishai, the principle of the next import will be “the expensive one is cheap,” explaining that instead of the consumer buying many goods at different periods due to the quick deterioration of the commodity, he will buy a good one with a longer shelf life.
Ahmed Shiha, former head of the Importers Division at the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, expected that tightening control over imported goods would lead to an increase in prices in the markets, due to the small quantities that will be put on the market after reviewing the specifications more accurately.
Shiha added that importers must observe these new standards at the beginning of the current period so that their imported goods are not rejected, especially since shipments take time to reach Egyptian ports.
According to Bishai, by applying these standards, the number of importers in the market will decrease, and thus the profit margin of the importer who carries out import operations for good goods will increase.
The former head of the Importers Division stated that tightening control over imported goods will not make us go to another market from which we import other than China, due to the presence of goods with different materials, quality and prices that can be imported.
Egypt imports a large proportion of production requirements for use in local manufacturing operations from the Chinese market.
The President of the Republic also clarified that the authorities concerned with the matter of entering imported goods will not issue approval and will not allow goods to enter the ports in the first place in the event that they do not conform to specifications.
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