Government-aligned Al Ahram columnist Makram Mohamed Ahmed pens a piece on the increasing prices of essential commodities and the government’s failed attempts at controlling the market. He also criticises the failure to coordinate between the ministries of agriculture, supply, and scientific research to increase animal resources or expand fish farms.

Salah Montasser follows up with a piece on the absurdity of importing non-essential commodities,also inAl Ahram. He gives the example of importing “Spanish watermelons” when Egyptian alternatives are widely available and at a much cheaper price. He says this is an example of conspicuous consumption and should be stopped.

Al Masry Al Youm columnist Amr El Shobaki discusses the context in which the difficult economic decisions have to be made, highlighting the differences between now and during Egypt’s public-sector-driven industrial revolution post the 1952 revolution. The piece is rife with oxymorons, specifically on how “tough” economic reform measures have to be slowed down because the country is going through a “tough” time economically.