Iraq’s food rations to be reduced again in 2008

Because of inadequate financial support from the Iraqi government, the quantity of freely-delivered national food rations will be further reduced at the beginning of 2008, IRIN reported last week.

“Since the government’s financial support will not be available next year, we will reduce the items from 10 to five and the quantities of the remaining items will not be the same as this year and in past years,” Trade Minister Abid Falah al-Soodani told parliament.

Siham Ibrahim, a 55-year-old mother-of-eight, commented on her past experiences with the rations system. “Each month I went to the agent to receive the food rations and I was surprised this time to find that two or three items, such as the children’s milk, were missing. In fact, we have not received children’s milk for the past three months,” she said. Ibrahim has two children aged 2-5.

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