Kuwait Times, Monday, Mar 07, 2022 | Sha'ban 04, 1443
Govt assures it has enough strategic food reserves
Kuwait:
The National Assembly is scheduled to hold a special session today to debate the
fallout of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Kuwait and the Gulf. The
government has given assurances that it has sufficient food stocks and warned it
will punish those who raise prices artificially. Assembly Speaker Marzouq
Al-Ghanem said he received two requests from the government and 10 MPs to hold
the special session, adding that the government demanded that the debate be held
behind closed doors.
The speaker said the government wants to discuss the current global situation
and the implications of the military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.
He said he also received a motion signed by 10 lawmakers to hold a special
session today to debate the implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and its
impact on the Arabian Gulf and Kuwait.
The lawmakers said in their motion that they want to know the government’s
position on a possible increase in food prices, a shortage in the state’s food
strategic stockpiles and preparations for the possibility of nuclear pollution
from nuclear plants. MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji, one of the signatories of the
motion, said he believes there is no need to hold the session behind closed
doors and the government should state its opinions publicly.
Meanwhile, Minister of Commerce and Industry Fahad Al-Shuraian said the
government has prepared the necessary strategic plans to ensure the continuity
of the flow of commodities and foodstuff to the domestic market and the
stability of their prices amid global fears of disruptions of supplies as a
result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The minister said in a statement that the state has huge strategic stocks of
basic food and consumer goods spread across the country’s various governorates.
He said supply chains to the Gulf and Kuwait have not been affected by the war.
He said that the ministry’s emergency teams are monitoring the markets round the
clock to ensure that prices are not artificially raised, adding that legal
measures will be taken against violators.