Egypt’s Supply Ministry said Monday it will begin disbursing an additional bonus to ration-card holders starting Tuesday, but the head of the general syndicate for subsidized outlets, Magdy Nady, warned that outlets cannot distribute the goods this week because the ministry has yet to deliver the supplies.
In a statement, the ministry quoted Supply Minister Sherif Farouk as saying the bonus will be paid at 400 Egyptian pounds ($8.50) a month per eligible ration card for March and April, covering about 10 million cards representing roughly 25 million citizens, at a total cost of 8 billion pounds ($170 million) during the rollout, through 40,000 outlets nationwide, including consumer complexes and Carry On, Gameaty, and subsidy grocery outlets.
Farouk said those eligible for the bonus would receive an SMS as the only proof of eligibility.
In that context, the syndicate head told Al Manassa that some beneficiaries have already received messages printed on their subsidized-bread receipts confirming eligibility, but that goods distribution has not started because grocers have not received supplies. He expected distribution to begin on Saturday after deliveries to outlets.
That was echoed by a subsidy grocer and a member of the food and grocery division at the Giza Chamber of Commerce, who asked not to be named. He said it would be difficult to distribute goods over the next two days while grocers wait to receive the items needed to serve beneficiaries.
The delay comes despite the ministry saying in its statement that the minister instructed the holding company to quickly release goods, equal to 30% of each outlet’s insurance value, from wholesale warehouses to all Gameaty outlets and subsidy grocers, while allowing open replenishment orders during the bonus period to ensure supplies remain available without interruption.
According to the minister, each ration card is entitled to a monthly maximum of 4 kilograms of sugar at 28 pounds ($0.60) per kilogram, 3 kilograms of rice at 24 pounds ($0.51) per kilogram, and 3 bottles of cooking oil, either 700 milliliters at 48 pounds ($1.02) per bottle or 800 milliliters at 54 pounds ($1.15) per bottle, as well as 6 packs of pasta (350 grams) at 8.50 pounds ($0.18) per pack.
