Azerbaijan, Baku, Jul.7/ Trend F.Karimov/
The Iranian administration has approved the allocation of $9 billion to import staple food, the Mehr News Agency quoted deputy industry minister Abbas Qobadi as saying.
Unfortunately, the red tape has hindered the provision of the capital, he added.
Also, a good supply of staple food has been stored, but new reserves of staple food should be provided in order to be replaced with the current reserves, he said.
Supplies of edible oil, sugar, rice, and meat are sufficient for at least three months, he said, adding that the Central Bank's bureaucracy had made the provision of the capital for importing staple food difficult.
Iran's Central Bank has not announced the USD official rate of 12,260 rials on its website as of Tuesday.
On Monday, the administration officially announced that the official-rate dollar will no longer be allocated to the importation of staple food and drugs.
According to a newly issued communiqué, the new official rate will be 24500 rials, which is the same as the rate which has been set in the current year's national budget bill.
The central bank governor has ensured that the rate change will not affect prices of goods. According to him, the budget bill has envisaged means to secure finance for the importation of staple food and drugs.
First-Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi has said that under the current severe economic sanctions against the country, the administration is committed to support low-income strata of society.
Meanwhile, MP Abdolkarim Hashemi has said that the Iranian administration is facing problem in providing money for paying cash subsidies to the public.
"For the time being, the government is providing necessary money out of sources other than freeing up prices based on the subsidy reform plan," he noted.