Half-price foods for 64 million Egyptians during Ramadan

The Egyptian government will distribute subsidised food at half of its usual prices during Ramadan, the minister of solidarity and social justice, Gouda Abdel Khalek, has said.

The offer will last throughout August, which corresponds with the Muslim month of fasting in 2011.

This price cut, which will be available to all current beneficiaries of the food subsidy programme, will replace 'Ramadan hampers' traditionally distributed for free to poor citizens.

Ramadan hampers were distributed by the ministry at the time of Mubarak's regime, usually as an advertisement for parliamentary candidates of the dissolved National Democratic Party. Several agencies will coordinate to provide goods and supply governorates across Egypt, providing the service from late July until the final days of August.