Reducing subsidized bread rations would be catastrophic during tough economic times

The Supply Ministry’s suggestion of reducing daily allocations of subsidized bread wouldbe catastrophic if implemented in light of the current economic hardships, Hamdy Rizk writes in Al Masry Al Youm. Although the ministry's report on subsidized bread consumption shows that some citizens do not use up their daily bread rations, relying on the average figure is dangerous. The figures not accurately reflect the many citizens who do consume their full ration and sometimes even resort to buying more bread at market prices, Rizk says. He points out that there are plenty of citizens whose diets are comprised almost entirely of the subsidized bread, and urges the ministry to maintain the age-old government policy of keeping bread subsidies as an untouchable good.