Tuesday 23/Sep/2025 – 07:03 PM
Imad Qenawi, head of the Importers Division of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Board of Directors of the General Federation of Chambers of Commerce, said that the decision of the Minister of Investment to impose fees on the tin represents a sound strategic step in its entirety, aiming to protect the local industry and encourage increased production, explaining that the cheapest import remained the first enemy of the industry for decades, which hindered the establishment of strong industries capable of competing.
Qenawi pointed out that the imposition of fees contributes to reducing dependence on import, attracting new investments for the sector, as well as in the medium and long term to raise the level of operation and production, and increase export, and with the high competition, prices begin to decline for the benefit of the consumer.
The uses of the sheet in the industry
He explained in a statement, that the recovery of the fees when exporting is the best solution, so that the exporters are not damaged, pointing out that the situation varies between two cases:
The first case: companies that import the sheet or raw materials and re -export the product, such as some engineering industries, and these are not affected by the fees, because they get the full value of the fees when exporting in accordance with the law.
The second case: companies that depend on production inputs from the local market, such as refrigerators or washing machines, which get the tin from local suppliers, in this case you cannot recover the value of the fee although they export their products abroad, which makes them bear an additional burden and enter into unfair competition with global markets.
He stressed that this gap requires a special view from the government to support this sector, whether through a special export treatment or an additional support mechanism, so that the makers who depend entirely on the local market are not damaged to obtain their materials.
Qenawi stressed that the most important goal is to deepen the industry and increase the added value, noting that the exports of engineering products have increased during the past years, thanks to the efforts of local and foreign deepening and investment, which calls for continuing government support for these sectors to remain able to compete globally.
