CAIRO - Egyptians, who began fasting the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on August 1, have spent LE516 million on “Muwa'd al-Rahman” (Tables of Mercy) so far, an economic expert said. This year's political events did not limit the lavishness of the Tables of Mercy on which the Egyptians spent LE516 million since Ramadan 1, Hamdi Abdul Azeem of the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) has said. Politicians, celebrities, businessmen, community leaders and wealthy professionals compete to set up large and prominent food tables for the nation's poor. Abdul Azeem said that the nation spends more than LE700 million per annum on food and the figure soars during Ramadan, where the Egyptians' consumption increases. “Muwa'd al-Rahman” are charity food tables set out on pavements, jamming many street corners during Ramadan, where the poor, or any passerby for that matter, can break their fast for free. “We offer around 500 to 600 free iftar meals each day in Ramadan for poor people, a larger number than last year. Sometimes, the number can reach 700, depending on the financial resources available,” Khaled el-Nagaar, a supervisor of one of the iftar banquets organised by a charity association in the Cairo middle class neighbourhood of Hadayek el-Qubba. “Most of the meals offered by the association are delivered to families, on whom it has conducted sociological research and known they are in real need of food,” el-Nagaar told The Egyptian Gazette. “Some others come to the society's headquarters and attend the iftar banquets.” “Our goal is to make the people feel they are treated as human beings. They come here and have a seat while volunteers serve them as if they were in a coffee shop or a five-star hotel,” he said. Abdul Azeem regretted that the Egyptians do not see Ramadan as a chance to exercise austerity in food. “On the contrary, the Egyptians' food consumption doubles during this holy month, during which the faithful should exercise austerity lower their expenditures,” Abdul Azeem said. He said that the belts of the faithful must stay tighter than usual in Ramadan, which is the month of austerity rather an orgy of consumption. Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has released extra foodstuffs into the market to cope with pre-Ramadan demand. Abdul Azeem regretted that the Egyptians spend more than LE1 billion to buy yameesh Ramadan delights- as well as Ramadan lanterns, which are imported from China. This year, however, retailers are reporting food sales sharply down. “For every 10 people buying yameesh last year, there are only a couple this year” . Hag Arabi, manager of a popular supermarket , complained.Hag Arabi said that Ramadan food treats cost 20 per cent higher than last year.
