First “Round Table “event
On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, the Chamber of Food Industries, headed by Eng. Ashraf Al-Gazairli, organized the first “round table” event, in the presence of Dr. Tariq Al-Houbi, Chairman of the National Food Safety Authority, representatives of the chamber’s member companies who participated in “the exhibition and the first forum for the industry”, Board members of the Chamber, heads of divisions, a number of the Authority’s leaders and representatives “TAIB” project in addition to the executive body of the Chamber.
Where Eng. Ashraf El-Gazairly, Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, thanked the member companies supporting the exhibition and the first industry forum, which was held under the auspices and honor of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, for the honorable appearance of the Federation of Industries and the Chamber of Food Industries.
Eng. Al-Jazairli stressed the keenness of the Board of Directors to continue the approach of effective communication between the Chamber and its strategic partners, agencies, bodies, and decision-makers for the benefit of the national industry and enhancing its competitiveness at the local and international levels, pointing to the achievement of many positive results through presenting challenges, cooperation, and direct coordination and exchanging views between the Chamber represented of the food industry sector and various entities with the aim of providing support and removing obstacles and challenges to achieve the desired growth rates.
The Chairman of the Chamber said: “We are honored in the Chamber’s Board of Directors to continue the march and build on the achievements of the previous presidents and boards of directors, and we are fully confident in what we are currently witnessing of great achievement and development of the national industry, and that the vision of the Food Safety Authority is in line with the current approach of the Chamber of Food Industries in Providing the necessary technical support to help factories comply with food safety requirements, and He referred to the efforts exerted by the Authority since the beginning of its establishment, which positively affected the compatibility of facilities with food safety requirements, and then the provision of a safe healthy product and the growth of Egyptian food exports, especially to the Saudi market, stressing the Chamber’s continuation in supporting many files at the level of the stages of the supply chain “sorting and packaging stations and centers Gatherings, massacres...etc.
or his part, Dr. Tariq Al-Houbi, Chairman of the National Food Safety Authority, confirmed that cooperation with the Chamber of Food Industries represents the most important strategic axes in the authority's vision, and stated that the authority's strategy aims to expand the base of food establishments registered with it and attract small and medium entities to the official system for food safety and human development.
And the existence of an organizational structure in addition to the digital transformation, as the authority started to launch its first website on March 1, in preparation for providing all services electronically, including applying to registration in the authority and completing all procedures digitally.
Dr. Tarek added that we hope to reach the authority to become an entity that enjoys governance, transparency, and integrity, to send a message of confidence to the Egyptian consumer and the foreign importer.
At the end of the meeting, a number of representatives of the companies that are members of the chamber asked questions about the food safety file to be studied and discussed by the authority and to take the necessary actions in this regard. Engineer Ashraf Al-Gazairli confirmed that the chamber is preparing to hold “round table” activities periodically to achieve the benefit and participation of the largest number of Opinions and research topics of interest to the food industry community in Egypt.
Training program on fish processing (processing technology - food safety)
The Chamber of Food Industries organized the first session of the training program under the title (Fish Processing - Processing Technology - Food Safety) from Tuesday, February 21 to Thursday, February 23, 2023, in Alexandria Governorate, in cooperation with the National Bank of Egypt, within the framework of the Fish Division's work plan, in the presence of Dr. Hani Al-Minshawi, head of the Fish Division, and Dr. Mohamed Najm, a research doctor at the Food Technology Research Institute at the Agricultural Research Center.
Where Dr. Hani El-Minshawy, Head of the Fish Division, presented during the event the latest methods of fish processing technology, such as salting, smoking, pickling, cooking and anchoring. Dr. Mohamed Negm presented the most important programs and basic requirements for food safety in fish processing facilities.
The Chamber will organize other courses of the training program in the governorates of Port Said and Cairo.
Meeting with one of the largest Malaysian palm oil manufacturing companies
The Chamber of Food Industries, headed by Engineer Ashraf El-Gazairly, in cooperation with the Federation of Egyptian Industries, received a delegation from one of the largest Malaysian companies in the field of palm oil manufacturing, in the presence of Mr. Mahmoud El-Basiouni, Executive Director of the Chamber, in order to discuss investment opportunities and elements in Egypt in the field of palm oil production, and how to benefit from the experience Malaysian in this field to meet the needs of the local market and export to foreign markets and to identify opportunities and elements of investment in the Egyptian market and to discuss the possibilities of the company establishing a project in Egypt in the field of palm oil production.
This is due to the existence of a real opportunity in the Egyptian market in the field of palm oil production to meet the needs of the local market and export to foreign markets, especially the markets of the African continent, and the possibility of the company benefiting from the trade agreements signed by Egypt, especially the advantages offered by the “African Continental Free Trade Agreement for Egyptian exports” to the markets of the African continent and in Foremost among them is the exemption from customs duties.
For its part, the delegation of the Malaysian company explained that the company is one of the largest Malaysian companies in the production and refining of palm oil inside and outside Malaysia, pointing out that the company owns factories and refineries in many countries of the world in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The company also owns a group of companies that include various investment activities in different sectors. Various services, including logistics, cars, and health services.
The first session of the training program "TOT Training of Trainers on Food Safety Applications"
The Chamber of Food Industries organized the first session of the training program "TOT Training of Trainers" on Food Safety Applications in cooperation with the "Project to Promote Agricultural Business in the Egyptian Rural" (ERAS) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), from Tuesday, February 14 until Thursday. February 16, 2023.
The program aims to develop the skills of officials in food establishments, raise their efficiency and ability to train, and transfer the contents of training programs in food safety to workers, in order to enhance their ability to comply with food safety requirements.
The program dealt with many topics, including:
(Conditions for successful communication, types of goals, goal formulation problems, the definition of a training plan, ... and many other topics)
With the participation of (quality and food safety managers - food quality and safety engineers - factory managers - production engineers - training officials in the field of food safety). member companies.
The Chamber's participation in a workshop on strengthening the system of control and inspection of filling stations.
the Chamber of Food Industries, headed by Eng. Ashraf Al-Gazairli participated in the activities of the opening session of a workshop on "Strengthening the supervision and inspection system" for packing stations, which was organized by the US Department of Agriculture through the project to support food control and inspection systems “Tayb”, in cooperation with the Chamber of Food Industries And the Agriculture Export Council, in the presence of Dr. Tariq Al-Houbi, Chairman of the National Authority for Food Safety, Engineer Abdel Hamid Al-Demerdash, Chairman of the Agriculture Export Council, Eng. Medhat Al-Meligy, Head of the Agricultural Component at Haya Association for the Development of Horticultural Crops, the Agricultural Attaché of the United States of America in Egypt, and a lot of experts sector.
Eng. Ashraf El-Gazairli, Chairman of the Chamber, opened his speech by praising the efforts and achievements of the Chamber with its strategic partners in supporting the food industries sector, which represents great importance in the national economy and achieving social and comprehensive development in Egypt. He stressed the importance of enhancing the practice of food safety in Egypt and facilitating the trade of food products to support the sustainability of the growth of the food industry sector, given that the sector represents paramount importance in the national economy.
His Excellency also praised the authority's direction towards the use of international expertise in the field of food safety and work to enhance the efficiency of the technical staff in the authority and update the checklists, especially updating the checklist for sorting and packing stations for fresh products, because of this positive impact, raising the competitiveness of the sector and increasing its exports.
At the end of his speech, Eng. Ashraf El-Gazairly extended his thanks and appreciation to all those in charge of the “Tayeb” project, and for the fruitful cooperation with the Chamber and its technical staff, as well as the two projects to promote agricultural business in the Egyptian countryside funded by the US Agency for International Development (ERAS) and (Farmer to Farmer) To support and assist food establishments are members of the Chamber, to raise the efficiency of workers in the sector, and to comply with the requirements of food safety to produce peaceful and safe products for the Egyptian consumer, and to have access to regional and international markets.
