Shortages of basic staples, especially rice and cooking oil, are preventing some Egyptians from redeeming a ration-card bonus the government approved this month, subsidized grocers in Dakahliya, Menoufiya and Sharqiya said. Hesham El-Degwy, head of the foodstuffs division at the Giza Chamber of Commerce, attributed the problem to “temporary pressure” in transport and distribution.
In mid-February, the Supply Ministry announced it had begun disbursing a bonus for eligible ration-card holders for March, as part of a government-approved social-protection package. But dealers said beneficiaries are running into difficulties on the ground.
Saber El-Eissawy, a subsidized grocer in Menoufiya, told Al Manassa that the quantities being delivered do not match demand from those eligible for the bonus, saying any delivery that reaches his outlet is sold out in a very short time.
El-Eissawy said his outlet might process about 30 ration cards in a short time, quickly exhausting high-demand staples, especially rice and oil, while other, less sought-after goods remain on the shelves.
In the same vein, Kayan El-Sayed, who owns a subsidized grocery in Mansoura, said alternatives to rice and oil, such as cleaning products, are available, but they are not a priority for families, especially during Ramadan. He told Al Manassa that the basic staples available are not enough to meet the needs of bonus recipients.
The ration-card bonus is worth 400 Egyptian pounds ($8.50) a month per eligible card for two months, covering about 10 million cards representing roughly 25 million citizens, at a total cost of 8 billion pounds ($170 million).
According to Supply Minister Sherif Farouk, 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.
What El-Eisawy and El-Sayed described was echoed by other supply grocers who spoke with Al Manassa, criticizing the government for not providing enough goods to cover citizens’ needs, which they said exposes dealers to frequent disputes with customers.
El-Degwy, head of the foodstuffs division at the Giza Chamber of Commerce, said moving large quantities of bonus-related goods from central warehouses to sub-warehouses and then to outlets at the same time caused a temporary pileup in loading and unloading.
The subsidy system normally handles these volumes, he said, but simultaneous deliveries across all governorates caused what he described as “confusion” in transport flows. The problem is not due to an actual shortage of goods, he added, with about 30 products available as alternatives for citizens.
Last year, distribution of goods under a similar bonus ran into shortages that pushed the Supply Ministry to extend the redemption period by an extra month. The same year also saw clashes between citizens and traders at supply outlets after the increase in allocations was not applied in March 2025 as the government had announced, something a Supply Ministry source attributed at the time to the Finance Ministry not providing the funding needed to cover the bonus.
