Between reducing the dollar and the food basket...what will the citizen choose?

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[size=52]Between reducing the dollar and the food basket...what will the citizen choose?[/size]

[size=45]The Ministry of Commerce confirmed that food storage is secure and we have supervised the control of storage management to enable us to confront climate change and global economic fluctuations.[/size]
[size=45]While an international list of the countries in the world most affected by food price inflation did not contain the name Iraq, which is what happens for the first time in history.[/size]
[size=45]The dollar exchange rates witnessed a significant rise in Iraqi markets, reaching more than 158 thousand dinars for every 100 dollars, amid fears that this rise will continue, which will affect the food security of the citizen.[/size]
[size=45]delay[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry of Commerce prepared food stores in Baghdad and all governorates for the purpose of receiving food basket items that were launched in July of 2021, after the Council of Ministers’ decision to approve the food basket and prepare citizens after the increase in the number of items and the addition of legumes and tomato paste.[/size]
[size=45]Citizens confirmed that some food items are late, and when we blame the agent, he gets stuck on the issue of the delay from the warehouses, and they added that the delay is followed by a shortage of food basket items.[/size]
[size=45]While observers warned of the absence of government planning to confront the challenges of food security in conjunction with the continuing decline in the value of the Iraqi dinar against the dollar in light of the country’s continued dependence on imports to secure the basic needs of food to a large extent, stressing that the lack of planning and setting mechanisms to confront the crisis will fall on the citizens, who Immediate measures will be taken, the repercussions of which will not be considered.[/size]
[size=45]Crisis traders[/size]
[size=45]Officials have identified two paragraphs that the government must amend within the decisions to stabilize the local market and the possibility of holding the monopolist accountable. The first of them is the two-month decision that was set for importing foodstuffs, which is considered insufficient to import these foodstuffs, as importing such foodstuffs requires between 6 months to one year, and if put in place The two-month requirement for importing foodstuffs will implicate merchants and put them in problems that cannot be solved, in addition to the fact that merchants also need reduced dollar prices, which they obtain from the Central Bank after submitting documentary credits, and that the dollar price that the merchant must obtain is slightly reduced or increased, in order to He is able to import goods at a cheap price and sell them.[/size]
[size=45]Economist Basem Jamil Antoine confirmed to Al Mada that “the food basket was not at the level of ambition expected to increase oil revenues and provide cash liquidity, but part of the ration card was somewhat improved and some merchants or importers used a platform to obtain the dollar and limited the rise.” Food prices: It has always been known in Iraq that there are “crisis merchants” who raise prices to achieve the highest profits, but this government limited their behavior and provided a ration card and foodstuffs at fairly competitive prices, but it could have been broader than this process.”[/size]
[size=45]merit[/size]
[size=45]The most important work that the Ministry of Commerce must undertake is to study all food products and local agricultural crops in order to provide a food basket to be distributed from local production, in addition to the food basket materials.[/size]
[size=45]While economic affairs specialists confirmed that the measures taken by reducing major materials and replacing them with other materials that citizens consider secondary are considered a patchwork measure that is not proportional to the size of the financial allocations allocated to the ministry from the annual budgets.[/size]
[size=45]Economist Bassem Jamil Antoine explains to Al Mada that “employees whose salaries exceed (one million dinars) are supposed to be excluded, as there is inaccuracy in preparing the food basket for those entitled to it,” explaining that “there are 3 million unemployed people waiting for opportunities.” Work, instead of accustoming them to helplessness and laziness.”[/size]
[size=45]Poverty and deprivation[/size]
[size=45]The number of families living below the poverty line in Iraq is estimated at about 33 percent, and there are governorates where this percentage has doubled, as a result of the loss of the breadwinner or disability resulting from the wars and acts of violence that have been prevalent during the past few years, in addition to the scarcity of job opportunities.[/size]
[size=45]Antoine confirms the possibility that the Iraqi citizen will not be affected by the current global economic crisis, “if the food basket is implemented properly, for example, you must have warehouses with goods for no less than 6 months, especially the main foodstuffs, such as flour, sugar, oil, and tea, and the presence of cash flow and the pursuit of corruption.” And arresting the corrupt, commission merchants, and usurers who exploit these circumstances, which will certainly limit Iraq’s impact on the global economic crisis,” noting that “continuity of work, constant follow-up, full warehouses, and monitoring of the global market, as well as the use of competent and knowledgeable economic experts, so that we do not fall into crises and problems that are exploited.” By merchants.”[/size]
[size=45]Quality is a priority[/size]
[size=45]The vast majority of the Iraqi people depend on the food rations they receive to manage their economic lives for many reasons related to the high prices of foodstuffs in local markets and the striking phenomenon of unemployment, which does not provide a stable source of income.[/size]
[size=45]There have been many statements and promises made by officials in the Ministry of Commerce to citizens that they will be provided with all ration items, with new and good types compared to the previous types, but despite these media statements, the citizen continues to suffer from the delay in the delivery of the ration items in a smooth and organized manner, in addition to the poor quality of some of the items that arrive compared to the types. Available in local markets.[/size]
[size=45]Economist Bassem Jamil Antoine added to Al Mada: “Quantities, times, price and quality must be taken into consideration mainly, with efforts being made to follow up, and a good and quality ration card must be available so as not to create crises.”[/size]
[size=45]Electronic ration card[/size]
[size=45]The ration card was previously equipped with three materials (oil, sugar, and flour), but the quantity of special materials in the ration card was increased in quantity and quality, according to a previous statement by the Ministry of Commerce, stressing that “the government supports the issue of the food basket and the ration card in general.” Noting that “the government program included the distribution of 10 meals for food baskets during the current year to all citizens, while 12 meals were distributed to the social welfare category, in addition to other additional materials.”[/size]
[size=45]While the ration card was replaced with an electronic card, which is considered the first step to eliminating corruption through slackness in performance, procrastination, procrastination, and procedures on which corruption is built, as the Ministry indicated. Noting that “the Ministry has completed the previous steps and what it promised by distributing food baskets on the specified dates and adding and improving other materials, and that in the coming days we will witness stricter accountability for violators.”[/size]
[size=45]On Monday, Minister of Commerce Atheer Daoud Al-Ghurairi confirmed in press statements followed by Al-Mada that the country possesses a stock of grains sufficient for a full year, in addition to an emergency stock of the rest of the food supplies. While he indicated the continued distribution of food basket rations on a regular basis, he revealed the trend. To establish a grain silo with a capacity of 60 thousand tons in Kirkuk.[/size]
[size=45]It is noteworthy that the global economic crisis, which affected many countries, came about due to the extension of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia’s ban on Ukrainian agricultural products entering their markets.[/size]
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