Amid rationing, Iraqis face more shortages
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Reuters | December 23, 2004
BAGHDAD -- Iraq is suffering a shortage of state-supplied wheat, sugar, and rice because of logistics and security problems, officials and traders said yesterday.
Most Iraqis, already in the grip of a fuel and electricity crisis, have depended on monthly rations since the Saddam Hussein era under a system meant to lessen the impact of the 1990-2003 sanctions that helped destroy the economy.
"We have been warning Iraqi officials for months that Iraq was heading for shortages. They insisted on middlemen and companies that cannot deliver," a market insider said. "They blame security. But there are 1,000 trucks that enter Iraq from Jordan every day alone and yet wheat shipments sit in the port of Aqaba for eternity."
Food is still available on the market, but the prices of some staples have doubled as government warehouses run low on stock.
The problems could hurt the US-backed government politically and lessen the chances of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi returning to power after next month's elections.
Several districts of Baghdad have not received rice and sugar rations this month. The wheat flour ration has fallen from 9 kilos per family to 8.
The market price of rice has doubled to 1,000 dinars (70 cents) per kilogram and sugar has risen to 750 dinars from 600. A loaf of bread now costs 20 percent more at 60 dinars.
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http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2004/12/23/amid_rationing_iraqis_face_more_shortages/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+World+News
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