KUWAIT CITY, Sept 28: Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr Abdullah Al-Salman has postponed the implementation of the decision to reduce the quantity of rice and sugar in the ration card for citizens as discussion on other alternatives is ongoing, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources. Sources said the Ministry of Commerce officials started coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to look into the possibility of reducing some subsidized food items, especially rice and sugar; indicating the ministry officials seem to be not that enthusiastic as before about taking such a step.

Sources pointed out that although the Commerce Ministry’s move to reduce some food rations is in line with the decision of the Cabinet to assess the supply of basic food items for people with low income and the individual quota for basic foodstuffs in response to the recommendation of the Food Authority to reduce rice and sugar supplies because of their impact on public health, the ministry recently decided to look for alternatives. Sources added the original plan is to reduce the quota of rice from 6.25 kilograms to five kilograms per person, and from two kilograms to one kilogram for sugar.