The Union of Bakery and Oven Syndicates issued the following statement: "The loaf of bread is not a political commodity that politicians toss around as they wish, sometimes against the Minister and at other times against the ovens, accusing them of the worst allegations. The Union of Bakery and Oven Syndicates in Lebanon wants to clarify to public opinion and politicians that the bakery sector is going through significant crises as a result of the policies adopted by politicians, and that the problem does not lie with the owners of the ovens who are operating amid major challenges and difficulties resulting from the economic and political conditions the country has been experiencing for several years.
With the onset of crises stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the deteriorating political situation and the spread of demonstrations and popular movements, the bakeries continued to provide loaves of bread to citizens despite the difficulties we faced because our goal is to secure bread for the people at the price set by the Ministry of Economy and Trade.
As the economic situation worsened, particularly with the financial crisis and sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate of the US dollar, the bakeries continued their work and bore the heavy burden resulting from the differences in the dollar price that negatively affected all economic sectors, including bakeries, which persisted in their operations in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Trade, while many other economic institutions faltered and ceased operations.
It is well known that the bakery sector operates under the auspices and supervision of the Ministry of Economy and Trade, which determines the price and weight of the loaf of bread, as well as the security committee that oversees the distribution of flour to the bakeries, with effective oversight from the Consumer Protection Directorate, the Ministry of Health, and security forces, where no bakery owner can manipulate either the weight or the price; any manipulation occurs outside the bakeries and is not related to us.
We must also draw the attention of some politicians to the fact that the bakery owners have expanded and worked vigorously and with personal effort to develop their operations, ensuring their production is not limited to just bread but also creates services in line with the nature of bakery work, unlike some employees who have earned vast sums from their positions without accountability or being asked where they got it from. The bakery owners have worked diligently day and night to build and develop their institutions and provide bread for the people.
The Union of Bakery and Oven Syndicates in Lebanon calls on all politicians to address this sector positively because it is one of the essential food supply sectors that is relied upon, and this sector operates according to the applicable laws and regulations."
