Sherif Farouk, Minister, issued a statement Supply And internal trade, a new directive stipulates increasing the exchange rate for food commodities allocated to merchants as part of the Ramadan grant, at a value of 400 pounds, to rise from 30% to 50%, as of April 1, 2026.
New guidance for a Ramadan grant worth 400 pounds
This decision comes with the aim of enhancing the ability of ration outlets to re-inject goods continuously and immediately, ensuring that the needs of citizens are met and preventing any shortage in supply as a result of increased demand rates.
In this regard, Dr. Walid Jaballah, the economic expert, said that the state seeks to establish an integrated system for managing and regulating internal trade, which aims to achieve greater stability in the markets and ensure the provision of diverse and safe alternatives that meet the needs of consumers in a sustainable manner.
Jaballah added, during statements to “Sada El Balad,” that the state is making intense efforts to promote the principles of social justice, and work to make goods available to citizens on a regular basis and at reasonable prices.
The Minister stressed the importance of closely monitoring the executive position regarding disbursing the additional grant to eligible citizens, within the framework of real-time monitoring of the disbursement system and ensuring its regularity in all governorates of the Republic without exception.
He stressed that the Ministry follows up the progress of work around the clock through daily reports and central and subsidiary operations rooms, in full coordination with the Supply Directorates and the Holding Company for Food Industries, to ensure the regularity of disbursement operations and the absence of any obstacles or delays.
He also stressed the need for goods to be available in the required quantities at all disbursement agencies, whether at ration merchants, “My Association” outlets, or consumer complexes, to ensure that citizens receive their full entitlements without any shortage in the prescribed items.
Official dates for disbursing the Ramadan 2026 grant
In the context of facilitating the situation for citizens and reducing congestion in front of the outlets, the Minister directed the extension of the system’s working hours Disbursement of supplies For an additional three hours per day during the months of March and April 2026, work begins from nine in the morning until twelve midnight, instead of nine in the evening, which allows a longer period of time to disburse dues easily and smoothly.
It was also decided to provide the possibility of disbursing the value of the grant several times during the same month, up to a maximum of four times, allowing citizens to divide the amount of 400 pounds according to the family’s needs and timing, without obligating them to spend the entire value in one go.
In the same context, the Minister directed the Holding Company for Food Industries to secure a sufficient strategic stock of the basic commodities included in the grant, most notably sugar, oil, pasta, and rice, while continuing to pump additional quantities on a regular basis in accordance with the actual exchange rates, in addition to daily monitoring of the movement of commodity circulation at the republic level to ensure the stability of supplies and their availability permanently.
The Minister also reassured the regular work of system operating companies Ration cards And cash machines, ensuring the efficiency of the networks and the absence of any technical obstacles that may affect citizens’ access to their entitlements, with prompt and immediate technical intervention if any problem is detected, ensuring the smooth flow of the system and its continuation with high efficiency.
