Securing Ramadan essentials - Economy - Al-Ahram Weekly

Al-Ahram Weekly

18-02-2025

The government's Ramadan exhibitions ensure the availability of foodstuffs throughout the month at discount prices
The government is ramping up efforts to secure strategic commodities and regulate market prices with the advent of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.
The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade, in collaboration with the private sector and the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, has launched Ahlan Ramadan (Welcome Ramadan) exhibitions across the country to provide essential foodstuffs at reduced prices.
The exhibitions are being held in public squares, retail chains, hypermarkets, shopping malls, and ration food outlets.
Hisham Al-Degwi, head of the Foodstuffs Division at the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, said food security, particularly during Ramadan, 'is a collective responsibility shared by multiple entities, such as the Ministry of Supply, the private sector, the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, and various government bodies. The governorate of Giza will host five Ahlan Ramadan exhibitions, alongside one-day fairs.'
Nouran, a woman in her 30s, visited an Ahlan Ramadan outlet with her son and daughter. With a carefully planned budget, Nouran prioritised purchasing staple items, including rice, pasta, milk, cheese, and cooking oil. Though she had not intended to buy Ramadan's yameesh (dried fruits and nuts), her son's request for meshmeshiya (dried apricots) tugged at her heart. To satisfy his desire without exceeding her budget, she opted for a small quarter-kilo box priced at LE100.
For the third consecutive year, Nouran, a public sector employee, has excluded yameesh from her Ramadan shopping list. 'Prices have skyrocketed to an extent that makes it impossible to buy yameesh,' she said, noting that her budget no longer allows for such luxuries. Instead, she carefully selects a small quantity of whatever her children request, alongside essentials like dates and qamareddin (apricot juice) to break her fast.
Despite the financial strain, Nouran acknowledges the discounts at Ahlan Ramadan exhibitions. 'A bag of sugar that costs LE35 elsewhere is available here for LE30. There's also a brand of semolina-based pasta sold at an LE8 discount compared to market prices,' she added.
Throughout the past couple of years Egyptian family budgets have been strained by high inflation caused by the depreciation of the local currency and high global prices of commodities. Annual headline inflation peaked in September 2023 at 38 per cent but has since started easing down. Inflation figures out on Monday showed annual headline inflation decreased to 24.1 per cent in January 2025.
At another supply outlet, Um Mohamed, in her 60s, said she had saved LE1,000 to buy her newly married daughter Ramadan supplies. Working as a cleaner, Um Mohamed added she saved up the amount to purchase rice, pasta, dried dates, dates, a frozen chicken, and tea.
Um Mohamed said that prices remain high but was relieved at being able to buy her daughter's essential items. However, she laments the decline of the traditional Ramadan box which is available in supermarket chains and delivered by benefactors. 'It used to be full of goods. Now, it barely contains the basics: no dates, no qamareddin. Even a bag of rice has shrunk to 900 grams instead of a kilo, while a bottle of oil has been reduced to 650 millilitres instead of a full litre.'
Goods available at Ahlan Ramadan are offered at discounts reaching 30 per cent, raising scepticism among some consumers about their quality.
Mustafa, a father shopping alone for Ramadan provisions, deliberately left his children home, fearing they would request items he could not afford. Expecting the discounts to be superficial, Mustafa was surprised to find that the price reductions were genuine without compromising quality. 'If these discounts are possible now, why do we pay such high prices the rest of the year?' he asked.
'Traders at these exhibitions do not pay rent, and the goods come directly from food factories to the consumer, bypassing middlemen,' Al-Degwi explained to Al-Ahram Weekly. Moreover, 'pasta sold in regular stores is packed in cartons, each costing LE10, with the cost factored into the price of every bag. At the exhibitions, however, pasta is packaged in plastic bags, eliminating the cost of cartons and allowing for further discounts.'
The exhibitions often frustrate conventional retailers as the same products are sold at prices lower than what wholesalers themselves pay. 'Consumers then assume that traders are making exorbitant profits throughout the year,' he added.
In addition, 'the transport of goods is streamlined, reducing logistical costs, and the electricity powering the exhibition is provided free of charge. Additionally, Civil Defence ensures security, the Ministry of Electricity covers lighting expenses, and the Chambers of Commerce finance the setup of lamps in public squares. This collective effort allows merchants to offer goods without adding additional costs on consumers,' Al-Degwi stated.
Sherif Farouk, the minister of supply, had earlier convened a meeting with representatives of major commercial chains to bolster cooperation between the public and private sectors and ensure that essential goods remain accessible at fair prices throughout Ramadan.
Market monitoring will be intensified during the month to prevent speculative pricing or disruptions in supply, with the Supply Ministry set to ramp up inspection campaigns and implement well-structured distribution plans, Farouk said.
Commercial chains are hosting Ahlan Ramadan exhibitions to increase the availability of essential goods while integrating products from companies affiliated with the Holding Company for Food Industries into mainstream retail outlets, he added.
Representatives of commercial chains reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the state's food security efforts, pledging to supply competitively priced, high-quality products in line with government directives. Furthermore, a joint operations room was set up between the ministry and retail chains to monitor the steady flow of goods and address logistical challenges that may arise in the coming weeks.
This year, Ramadan is likely to start on 1 March, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 20 February, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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