Amid soaring food prices and an ongoing inflation, Egypt’s cabinet issued a decree penalising vendors who hoard or stock up on rice with at least one year in prison and a fine between EGP 100,000 and EGP 1 million in order to prevent any shortages of the “strategic commodity” in the market. The decree will remain in effect for three months. To regulate the price of rice in the markets, the cabinet also set prices to be sold at no more than EGP 18. The decree also orders all stakeholders in the value chain, including rice traders, producers, suppliers, distributors, and merchants, to notify the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade of the types and quantities of rice they have and adhere to the rules specified by the ministry. In an interview with local media last week, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi dismissed rumours Egypt is facing a rice shortage in the markets, adding that the speculations on the quantities of rice available have led to a hike in retail prices due to stockpiling and lack of adherence to the official prices in the market. The minister…
Egypt Issues Decree to Regulate the Price and Quantities of Rice
November 22, 2022
