Ahlan Ramadan exhibitions across Egypt to spur trade and economy

CAIRO: The Egyptian government is launching month-long Ahlan Ramadan food and goods exhibitions from Feb. 15 in a bid to boost the economy.

Each governorate in the country will host a main exhibition with a minimum of three additional events, said Dr. Ali Moselhy, minister of supply and internal trade.

Through the exhibitions, the government aims to increase the supply and availability of food products and goods.

Faten Jamal El-Din, an Egyptian Ministry of Supply official, told Arab News that the governorates and the General Federation of Chambers of Commerce will collaborate to prepare exhibition locations.

The Egyptian Holding Company for Food Industries and all its branches will take part shows across the governorates, he added.

Ahmed Kamal, the assistant to the minister, said that commercial chains and consumer complexes will take part in the Ahlan Ramadan exhibitions by setting up pavilions featuring the Ahlan Ramadan logo.

Mobile vehicles will also feature in the events across Egypt.

Coupons will be distributed by the Holding Company for Food Industries among vulnerable families across Egypt, Kamal said.

They can be used to buy essential food items from consumer complexes.

Dr. Tamer Salah, deputy minister of supply and internal trade in Luxor Governorate, said that the directorate was monitoring the implementation the Ahlan Ramadan exhibitions.

The exhibitions will mandate the display of final sale prices of products and goods to consumers, including taxes and financial charges, in Arabic.

Prices should be clearly visible and in non-removable writing, Salah said.

Businesses are required to inform both the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade and the permanent technical secretariat about any modifications to final sale prices for any product or good, he added.

“I believe these procedures, as well as the Ahlan Ramadan exhibition, will contribute to reducing prices.”