CAIRO: In Cairo neighborhoods, long queues of Egyptians in search of sugar have become a familiar sight over the past week amidst a severe shortage that has driven prices to unprecedented levels, reported The National News.
Sugar is the latest commodity to experience a surge in prices amid Egypt’s most challenging economic crisis in recent memory, leaving an increasing number of the country’s people struggling to afford essential goods due to rampant inflation and stagnant wages.
Addressing the sugar crisis, Egypt’s Supply Minister, Ali El Moselhy, appealed for patience during an interview on Wednesday. “I cannot deny that citizens are unable to find sugar in many stores,” Mr Moselhy acknowledged. “All I ask is for you to be patient as we are planning to increase supplies this Saturday. And I urge you not to pay more than 27 pounds ($0.87) per kilo for sugar,” he conveyed to the pro-government ONTV network.
During the lengthy interview with host Khaled Abour Bakr, Mr Moselhy responded to citizens’ questions, many of whom expressed frustration at the scarcity of sugar in Cairo’s shops, where the essential commodity has become increasingly rare. Housewife and Alf Maskan district resident, Manal Hossam, lamented, “I have been to six supermarkets today, and there is no sugar to be found. I finally found a place about five kilometers from my home that had a small stock. They were selling it for 60 Egyptian pounds.”
