Is it permissible to pay Zakat al-Fitr in cash and not from grains or produce?

The majority of the Imams—Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad—are of the opinion that Zakat (definition) al-Fitr should be given from the staple food of the country's inhabitants. Imam Abu Hanifa, however, permits giving its monetary value instead of food. If the recipients are in the same country, it must be given as food. However, if it is to be sent to another country due to a lack of eligible recipients [in the donor's country], it is preferable to send money to an agent who can buy the food and distribute it to the poor, or to send the money directly to them.