PM directs supervision to ensure availability of goods for Ramadan

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli on Sunday chaired a cabinet meeting to review preparations for the holy month of Ramadan.

Discussions also focused on efforts to ensure the availability of goods for the festive season.

Goods must be available and prices controlled since the government is currently paying much attention to the latter, the premier said, adding that a committee comprising ministers and high-ranking officials has been formed to oversee price controls.

The premier also instructed the formation of a working group in each governorate, headed by the governor, to follow up availability of commodities on local markets and price controls, on which a weekly report will be submitted to the prime minister.

Agreements have been made with chambers of commerce and manufacturers to put large quantities of goods on the market during this period, which will help balance prices, the premier said.

The Welcome Ramadan and We Are All One initiatives are currently being expanded to ensure the availability of various commodities at affordable prices, the prime minister added.

The government is in co-ordination with the authorities concerned to set up fairs, open static outlets and dispatch mobile outlets affiliated to the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade, the Ministry of Interior, the National Service Projects Agency of the Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mobile outlets will be distributed within the governorates to meet the needs for goods in areas of high population density.

Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali el-Meselhi, who attended yesterday’s meeting, said that in the course of communication with the governorates and chambers of commerce, personnel and outlets have agreed upon to make various goods available.

The aim at the present time is to increase the supply of goods, which will contribute to controlling prices, el-Meselhi said, adding that facilities have been agreed upon with the authorities concerned to safeguard the ease of movement of goods between the governorates.

Also at the meeting was Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation el-Sayed el-Qoseir, who said his ministry has more than 270 outlets in the governorates, in addition to mobile outlets.