The Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade has continued its efforts to implement an initiative to reduce prices of commodities. The initiative involves expanding the offering of food and consumer products at discounted prices, providing citizens with multiple options to meet their daily needs. The ministry is also monitoring the availability of commodities and their regular supply at participating outlets.
The Holding Company for Food Industries, under the Ministry of Supply, has started offering 18 new commodities as part of the initiative. This brings the total number of commodities offered at discounted prices to 30. The goal of this plan is to increase the supply of commodities and alleviate the financial burden on citizens. The commodities include staple goods such as sugar, rice, and flour.
The list of commodities offered at discounted prices does not currently include meat products. However, the Ministry of Supply is considering studying the possibility of increasing the number of items offered gradually in the coming period, based on expansion plans and citizen needs. The ministry aims to provide a wide range of essential commodities at affordable prices.
In addition to offering discounted commodities, the Ministry of Supply continues to dispense rationed goods to eligible citizens regularly. The ministry also allows citizens to buy frozen meat and poultry within the goods available for exchange for bread points at consumer cooperatives. These goods can be obtained by citizens in exchange for their bread points, which are earned by reducing their consumption of subsidized bread.
The value of bread points is calculated based on the value of the savings resulting from not purchasing the full rationed amount of subsidized bread allocated to the citizen's card during the month. For every loaf of subsidized bread, which costs 20 piasters, citizens earn points that can be used to buy goods from supply outlets. This system encourages citizens to reduce their consumption of subsidized bread and use their points to purchase other essential commodities.
Some of the commodities offered at discounted prices include sugar, rice, flour, vegetable oil, pasta, tomato sauce, tea, and cheese. The prices of these commodities range from 1.5 to 70 Egyptian pounds, depending on the type and quantity. For example, a kilogram of sugar costs 25 pounds, while a kilogram of rice costs 25 pounds, and a kilogram of flour costs 20 pounds.
The Ministry of Supply aims to expand the availability of commodities at discounted prices through supply outlets, while monitoring their availability and supply rates. The ministry is also studying the possibility of adding new items to the list of commodities offered, based on market needs and citizen requirements. By offering a wide range of essential commodities at affordable prices, the ministry hopes to alleviate the financial burden on citizens and improve their standard of living.
Key points
- The Egyptian Ministry of Supply has launched an initiative to reduce prices of 30 commodities.
- The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on citizens by providing essential commodities at affordable prices.
- The ministry is also considering adding new items to the list of commodities offered, based on market needs and citizen requirements.
