Egypt is to suspend rice exports for six months, from next month until October, to try to meet the demands of its own people hit by soaring food prices, a commerce ministry official said.

'We have taken this decision to provide for the needs of the local market,' Sayyed Abul Komsan, adviser to Commerce Minister Moha-mmed Rashid, said on Friday.

'Rice is a staple food in Egypt and the main substitute for dough whose price has gone up following wheat price rises on the international market,' he said.

Egypt produces around 4.5 million tonnes of rice a year, of which 3.5 million is allocated to the local market, said Komsan.

Most exports go to Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

The country, with a population of 80 million, was due to have exported between 300,000 and 400,000 tonnes in the coming six months, he said.

The commerce minister said in the local press yesteereday that cement exports were also being suspended over the same period to combat price rises on the local market.

'We export 2 million tonnes of cement a year, amounting to a tiny share of the international market,' said Abul Komsan.

Faced with unprecedented social unrest, the Egyptian government has been trying to tackle rampant inflation which reached an annual rate of 12.5 per cent by the end of last month.

According to official figures, staple food prices including for unsubsidised bread have spiralled in Egypt.