Egypt to increase ration card allotment by four pounds

CAIRO – 27 February 2017: The Egyptian Supply Ministry is planning to increase ration card allotment per person to from 21 to 25 EGP per month,

Al-Shorouq reported

.

The Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali El-Sayed El-Moselihi is expected to file a request to the prime minister to raise the allowance by the end of March, sources revealed to Shorouq. They added that the ministry is seeking alternative mechanisms and solutions to provide the funding.

The ration card system gives card holders access to subsidized food, such as sugar, oil, bread and rice with lower prices than the regular market.

The system currently supports around 70 million Egyptians

through over 20 million ration cards.

A committee formed in collaboration among the ministries of supply and finance and members of Parliament is studying ways to fix the ration card system and increase the allotment without seeking more money from the state, Shorouq said.