KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah held a meeting yesterday with Ministry of Commerce and Industry officials, as well as leaders of authorities affiliated to the ministry. Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan attended the meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Public Authority for Industry to check procedures for securing food and commodities to citizens and residents as well as examine pre-emptive precautions in face of coronavirus.

During the meeting, His Highness the Prime Minister noted that he came to the department in line with instructions by His Highness the Amir to secure all needs for citizens and residents of the country and affirmed the government full support for any action that would help the ministry and the related bodies to fulfill their tasks. He expressed appreciation for noticeable presence of the ministry teams on the fields, their follow-up on the government precautions, namely activating the contingency scheme.

Moreover, he lauded efforts by the ministry, the industry authority, Kuwait Foods Company and Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company for securing such needs, affirming that the ministry decisions and circulars have been implemented to maintain reasonable prices of the commodities and ensure their availability everywhere in the country.

He affirmed the pivotal role of the local producers for supplying the market with the goods and basic products. Later, His Highness the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Commerce, toured facilities of the flour companies and the Public Warehousing Company to check on strategic stockpiles of imported necessities.

On Tuesday, Minister of Information Mohammad Al-Jabri visited the Union of Fresh Dairy Producers to verify the sufficiency of milk stock in the country. During the tour, Jabri, who doubles as Minister of State for Youth Affairs, was briefed on the union's efforts to provide the market with necessary dairy products under these emergency circumstances in Kuwait, which is fighting the novel coronavirus, Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) said in a statement.

The union's chairman Abdulhakeem Al-Ahmad was quoted by the statement as stressing eagerness to throw much weight behind all state agencies which are struggling to preclude the spread of the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile PAAAFR's Board Chairman and Director-General Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah also visited the union to make sure that it is ready to answer the public needs of dairy products nationwide, according to the statement. - KUNA