Egypt Takes Measures to Control Markets

A woman holding her baby shops at a vegetable market amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Cairo, Egypt February 25, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
A woman holding her baby shops at a vegetable market amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Cairo, Egypt February 25, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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Egypt Takes Measures to Control Markets

A woman holding her baby shops at a vegetable market amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Cairo, Egypt February 25, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
A woman holding her baby shops at a vegetable market amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Cairo, Egypt February 25, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC) has revealed a drop in prices of vegetables and fruits, following government measures to control the market.

Price inflation surged to its highest in nearly three years in February, driven by a sharp increase in food prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has also caused disruption in supply and demand.

A report by FEDCOC’s Market Follow-up Committee showed that markets have recently responded to joint efforts by the private and public sectors to control the spike in prices of many commodities.

FEDCOC President Ibrahim al-Araby said on Sunday that wholesale markets witnessed a significant drop in the prices of fresh vegetables and fruits.

A press statement by Araby, which Asharq Al-Awsat received a copy of, praised the government’s exceptional measures to avoid the surge in prices and contain fluctuations in global markets.

These measures aim to contribute immediately to the decline in prices in local markets.

Araby also hailed the role played by the chambers of commerce across the country’s governorates, noting that they launched several campaigns ahead of Ramadan to ensure the availability of all goods.

FEDCOC’s follow-up committees monitor any changes in the markets in terms of the volume, distribution, and prices of all commodities. They analyze that data and compare it with global variables to develop future scenarios for price variables that may affect local markets.

A Sunday report by FEDCOC’s Foodstuff Division affirmed that all commodities are available in the market and that prices are gradually responding to the government measures, in cooperation with the chambers of commerce and supply chains, to pump additional quantities of all commodities and control the price surge.



Kuwait's KPC CEO Says Oil Production Capacity Exceeds 3 Million Bpd 

A general view of Kuwait City buildings, Kuwait, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
A general view of Kuwait City buildings, Kuwait, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
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Kuwait's KPC CEO Says Oil Production Capacity Exceeds 3 Million Bpd 

A general view of Kuwait City buildings, Kuwait, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
A general view of Kuwait City buildings, Kuwait, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)

Kuwait's oil production capacity now exceeds 3 million barrels per day, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) CEO Sheikh Nawaf Saud al-Sabah told reporters on Tuesday.

The country's oil production capacity was at more than 2.8 million bpd in June last year, Ahmad Jaber Al-Eidan, the CEO of KPC subsidiary Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), said at the time.

Kuwait aims to boost its oil output to 4 million bpd by 2035, having previously missed a goal of reaching that level by 2020.

Commenting on US President Donald Trump's views on fossil fuels, Sheikh Nawaf said there is no alternative to oil as a primary source of energy, "neither now nor in the future".

"Perhaps this is what President Trump and officials in the United States have realized, that there must be continued exploration and production of oil, and this is what we reflect here in Kuwait. We know that demand for Kuwaiti oil will increase in the future."

Trump signed a flurry of orders within hours of his inauguration on Monday intended to boost the United States' already record-high oil and gas production.

Al-Eidan said KOC aims to reach "full production" from discovered offshore fields within eight to 10 years.

Of the 4 million bpd of oil production capacity Kuwait is targeting by 2035, 350,000 bpd of capacity is expected to come from an area called the Neutral Zone, jointly operated with Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait last year said it had made a "giant" oil discovery with estimated reserves of 3.2 billion barrels. It said on Monday it had found 800 million medium-density oil barrels and 600 billion standard cubic feet of associated gas offshore.

Sheikh Nawaf said Kuwait has completed engineering studies for the Durra gas field and is proceeding according to a plan agreed with Saudi Arabia.