Read in
CAIRO — The Egyptian government is boosting its wheat reserves, in the first two weeks of March alone purchasing some 1 million tons, about 20% of the total it procured last year. There are several possible explanations for the move, but the unexpected purchase cannot be separated from the angry protests that erupted in several governorates March 6-7 after a Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade order cut the subsidized bread allocations to bakeries, supposedly to curb corruption and waste.
In Alexandria governorate during the unrest, police drove around distributing free bread in an attempt to calm the situation. They also promised to convey protesters' demands to officials. The effort appeared to persuade the demonstrators to stand down.
