Some information has indicated the return of queues at a number of bakeries after a reduction of 10-15% in their share of wheat flour. Bakery owners in densely populated areas say that "the demand for bread is increasing daily, especially with the start of the school year, as people prefer to buy Arabic bread instead of French bread and other types due to rising prices," fearing an "increase in queues in front of small bakeries." Is there a hint of a bread crisis once again? Is there a reason to panic?
The head of the bakers' syndicate in Mount Lebanon, Antoine Seif, confirms to "Al-Markaziah" that "under the pressure of living conditions endured by Lebanese citizens, the demand for Arabic bread has risen, especially after the removal of subsidies on flour for all types and derivatives of production, as their prices have increased compared to the price of Arabic bread." He pointed out that "when the security committee took over the delivery and management of subsidized flour, it reduced the shares distributed to bakeries by 10 to 15%, depending on the size of the institution and its production capacity, which equates to about 3,000 tons monthly. Consequently, production no longer covers the demand, putting pressure on bakeries and leading to a shortage of bread quantities. For instance, some bakeries with small quotas have started closing early, once a week, or reducing the quantities distributed to retail outlets, which causes panic among citizens and increases production costs for bakeries."
He reveals that "the syndicate has communicated with various concerned parties, including the Ministry of Economy and the security committee, which has reservations about increasing the quantities again, arguing that the needs are met despite the cuts. However, reality suggests otherwise, as the committee should have more accurate field data to determine which bakeries need increased quantities, and we are ready to cooperate in this context." To avoid heading towards a worse situation, the syndicate head suggests that "the best solution would be to restore 10% of the deducted share to small bakeries, which would help stabilize the market."
