Did someone say there’s an election on? Last night’s talk shows featured wall-to-wall coverage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s schedule yesterday, with Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime: 2:5 8 | 3:15 | 3:01), Ala Mas’ouleety (watch, runtime: 2:48 | 2:32 | 4:14) and Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 3:03 | 4:15 | 17:37) dedicating hours to discussing all the details of his trip to Ismailia, where he attended an event recognizing high-achieving university graduates. Meanwhile, Ahmed Moussa criticized Egyptians calling to boycott the presidential election on social media (watch, runtime: 2:48 | 3:21), and Al Hayah Al Youm host Lobna Assal (watch, runtime: 4:42) questioned complaints in some circles that the election rules don’t leave enough time for candidates to gather endorsements.

Remember: El Sisi is yet to officially announce his candidacy but he is widely expected to seek a third term in office.

Soaring food prices was a topic of conversation: Masaa DMC’s Osama Kamal interviewed Farmers' Syndicate head Hussein Abu Saddam to discuss soaring vegetable prices (watch, runtime: 4:43). “Farmers are innocent,” he told Kamal, attributing the high prices to economic strains, middlemen, and shrinking farmland. Kamal also interviewed Matta Bishay, the head of the Internal Trade Committee of the Importers Division of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, who said that the FX shortage, rising input costs and other issues have combined to send commodity prices 100-200% higher (watch, runtime: 5:02).

Sugar is trading at as much as EGP 40 a kilo, double the price subsidized by the government. That’s according to Hisham El Degwy of the food division at the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, who said on Yahduth fi Masr that higher input costs, rising energy bills, and higher seasonal demand are causing prices to rise (watch runtime: 5:29).

Remember: The government has banned the export of sugar and onions in a bid to put a lid over soaring local prices. The onion ban will come into force on 1 October.

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