Government vows to provide more goods during Ramadan

CAIRO – 16 April 2017: With the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, the government is striving to provide the market with essential foodstuffs.

Demand usually peaks in Ramadan so the government every year makes sure to provide the market with enough quantities of goods to prevent price hikes.

A protocol between the ministries of supply and religious endowments will ensure the provision of 900 tons of rice, sugar and pasta through the Holding Company for Food Industries. The Religious Endowments Ministry will distribute the quantities on the poor and underprivileged families, in addition to providing cooking oil and legumes in different governorates.

Minister of Supply, Aly el-Meselhy, vowed that people will not suffer in getting their needs from goods during Ramadan, and that large quantities of meat, poultry and other essential goods will be imported to satisfy people’s needs.

"The government is currently considering an increase in the amount allocated to individuals holding ration cards by 50 percent during the holy month," Meselhy said. Some 71 million people use government subsidy cards to buy essential food items.

Meselhy added that Ramadan goods exhibitions will be organized across governorates to provide goods at reduced prices.

This Ramadan will be particularly challenging for many Egyptian families after prices surged significantly across the board following a decision by the Central Bank to float the Egyptian Pound last year.

Egypt's annual headline inflation rose to 32.5 percent in March, up 0.8 percent from February.