Egypt cuts bread subsidies, leaving millions to face soaring costs
Around 850,000 Egyptians have lost their bread subsidy cards as the government trims its food aid program, forcing families to pay up to ten times more for flatbread.
Since June, the Egyptian supply ministry has stripped 850,000 households of their subsidised bread cards, a step aimed at reducing the $3.2 billion food-subsidy bill and meeting International Monetary Fund conditions. The loss has pushed the price of a staple loaf up tenfold, prompting mothers such as Eman Abdel Fattah and Siham Abdel Qawi to shrink grocery lists and skip protein and fruit. Eligibility is tied to factors like private-school fees, which critics say punish families making modest sacrifices.
Appeals are hampered by complex paperwork, and many cannot contest the decision. The cuts come amid 14.9 % inflation, rising rents and a broader cost-of-living crisis that threatens food security for tens of millions.
Why it matters
The subsidy cuts threaten food security for millions and test the social stability of Egypt’s economy.
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