Prime Minister Sherif Ismail ordered on Tuesday increasing the imported amounts of sugar to 400,000 tons, and rice to 500,000 tons to meet the citizens' needs.

This came during a ministerial meeting to discuss ways of implementing directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to provide basic commodities at affordable prices and set out a plan to ensure the availability of basic commodities for citizens. 

The government is keen on establishing more outlets for selling goods at affordable prices, especially in Upper Egypt, in the coming period, Cabinet spokesman Hossam Qawish quoted the premier as saying.

The meeting tackled also measures to establish more commercial chains and develop the government-run supermarkets across the country, the spokesman noted.