In the presence of officials from regulatory and consumer protection agencies:

 

Cairo Chamber meets Thursday to develop new mechanisms for stabilizing commodity prices in

Ramadan

 

Written by: Feisal Abd El-Ati.

Engineer Ibrahim El-Araby, head of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, said the qualitative council,

 

formed inside the Chamber, that includes members of the Chamber's Board of Directors

 

and Heads of various business divisions will meet today to discuss new mechanisms

 

to ensure price stability during the holy month of Ramadan.

El-Arabi mentioned the meeting would include parties from the trading system,

 

including officials from regulatory bodies, consumer protection, and the control of exports

 

and imports, in addition to traders from various fields.

 

The meeting will discuss the final preparations for Ramadan taken by each party

 

with a mechanism to stabilize prices in the coming period, especially as the holy month

 

of Ramadan comes in time for the approved workers’ incentive of 15%.

 In response to some of the accusations that such bonuses are not utilized for consumers

 

as the successive increases in prices eat up those incentives and prevent benefit from making

 

any use of it, some wish for stable prices and abundant goods instead of a raise.

El-Arabi said the soaring prices of any commodity are not related to the traders as products,

 

whether domestic or imported are governed by cost elements and supply and demand rules.

 

The greater the supply the more prices fall while if the demand increased with a decreasing

 

supply, prices increase by extension.

 

El-Arabi revealed that to prove traders have hand in raising the prices, Ramadan this year

 

is witnessing stable prices in most food prices especially strategic ones,

 

such as meat, poultry and fish. However, there are some goods whose prices dropped

 

compared to last year, he stressed that all goods are available more than the demand.

 

This signifies stability of prices during the  next period he said, adding that today's meeting

 

will review the status of food markets by people specialized in the trade of "food, meat, fish

 

and poultry," as it greatly concern to citizens during the holy month of Ramadan.

 

“Ramadan Plan”

 

El- Arabi called on consumers to buy only their needs of goods in Ramadan and not to

 

run on particular commodities and store, thus causing shortage in the supply, which will lead to

 

increased prices. Especially as the goods are provided a large and available in every place

 

and time in addition to that some of them linked to the duration of the validity

 

which is not in the consumer’s best interest.

 

El-Arabi stressed that the media plays a major role in educating consumers and educating

 

them in all aspects especially with regard to the lack of relationships between periodic

 

allowance for workers and traders.

 

The media’s role is also valuable to educate the consumers about the culture of buying

 

and storage of goods in general and in Ramadan especially.

 

There is an abundant supply of all commodities especially strategic ones which help

 

a lot to adjust and balance the markets.

 

On the other hand, he called on all regulators to treat traders well and take into account

 

the working conditions during the holy month of Ramadan and distinct between

 

what is an unintentional avoidable error and does not harm consumers,

 

and what endangers the lives of citizens at risk. They need to embrace the philosophy

 

of advice and guidance by the inspectors and control officers towards shop owners,

 

pointing out the number of reports does not indicate the efficiency of regulatory bodies,

 

but it has to be through understanding of tasks, whether private.

 

Inspection workers need to show their Ids and the force accompanying them

 

and the number of members on the force. Their message should include good

 

treatment and awareness.

 

As for the exports and imports authority, the head of the chamber confirmed that

 

under the decrease in the foreign exchange reserve, the criteria for allowing imports

 

in should be based on validity and not violation of date; return back to the treatment system,

 

in order not to waste money sent overseas over visual inspection.

 

This suggestion would be submitted to the officials in the supervising board of

 

imports and exports during the meeting.

 

He revealed that the chamber invites traders to stabilize their prices and keep pace

 

with the present market conditions and take into account the situation of citizens and follow

 

the modern ways in presenting the products, use diverse ways to attract consumers’

 

attention since they are the most important link in the business dealings.

 

They will also discuss some of the problems afflicting traders and importers especially

 

with respect to companies Chinese.

 

 The Chamber’s president commented on their plan to face consumer needs

 

during the holy month of Ramadan, saying there will be coordination with all authorities

 

concerned and the directorate of supply and internal trade.

 

The coordination would take place to implement the plan, which was placed to control

 

the market and make sure of the regularity of work in all sectors, abundance of butane gas

 

cylinders and important commodities, in addition to the working hours of bakeries during Ramadan.

 

"Bakeries"

El-Arabi added that the plan would include provision of the most important commodities in Ramadan,

 

whose demand is expected to significantly increase in order to avoid problems.

 

He stressed that in order to provide the bread in the month of Ramadan during the times

 

of breakfast and Suhour, bakeries working hours would be delayed except for the areas

 

of Christian residents. Bakeries will be given two hours to rest during breakfast.

 

Two bakeries would be operated in each area, together with monitoring the excess amounts

 

that will be deducted by the competent authority at low demand.

 

A supervisor on each bakery will follow the production process as it is to provide large

 

amounts of the needs of citizens of fine flour during the latter half of the month of Ramadan

 

by the Holding Company for Food Industries in addition to amounts supplied to private traders.

"Sugar"

Large amounts would be supplied through the private sector or the outlets of the Holding

 

Company for Food Industries "Machine Sugar - powdered sugar"

 

"Rice and pasta"

 

There will be large amounts provided to the private sector and through the Holding Company

 

for Food Industries ports distribution subsidiaries for the business sector

 

"Meat, poultry, eggs and fish"

 

There are large quantities of meat supplied to private traders and also Holding Company

 

for Food Industries offers large amounts of imported meat and fresh municipal meat for the needs

 

of citizens, which are sold at discounted prices in addition to meat municipal which are raised

 

by canvas have been created by the Cairo governorate.

 

"Butane Gas Cylinders"

 

 There is an increase of 25% by the governorate in the number of Butane Gas Cylinders provided

 

during Ramadan, in addition to having a residing supervisor at the butane storage

 

places to supervise the distribution of rations. Department managers are assigned to intensify

 

campaigns on street vendors and coordinate with the companies; Butagasco,

 

PTR and Gus to provide any from the strategic reserves in any area where any shortage occurs.

 

In addition to the presence of an inspector in addition to a work group at the packing station

 

to follow up on the production and distribution.

 

Elaraby confirmed that there is significant cooperation between the Chamber and all the concerned

 

authorities in the country in order to implement the plan of the month of Ramadan properly

 

and address any actions that would destabilize markets and meet the needs of consumers.