Subsidized food prices to be reviewed every quarter -El Moselhy
Subsidized food prices to be reviewed every quarter -El Moselhy: Prices of commodities subsidized by ration cards will be reviewed every quarter in line with the EGP’s performance against the USD, Supply Minister Ali El Moselhy said yesterday, according to Bloomberg. It is clear when the ministry will introduce the new pricing mechanism. The announcement comes two days after El Moselhy said that prices of several subsidized foodstuffs would be lowered in December.
Background: The government last month reinstated around 1.8 mn people to the food subsidy rolls after they had been removed in the ministry’s effort to cut its subsidy budget. Around three-quarters of Egypt’s 100 mn-strong population rely on the government’s food subsidy program. El Moselhy’s statement yesterday came one day after state newspaper boss Yasser Rizk singled out El Moselhy as being at risk in an upcoming cabinet shuffle. Rizk blamed El Moselhy for allegedly mismanaging the reform of the subsidy card system.