Bakery owners in Raqqa travel to Aleppo to pay for flour

Raqqa is witnessing growing discontent among bakery owners due to being forced to travel up to 400 kilometers round trip twice a week to Aleppo to pay for flour—a measure they describe as "exhausting and unjustified."

According to local sources, the relevant authorities justify this measure under the guise of "administrative protocols," but this justification is no longer acceptable to those working in the sector, especially given past instances where financial transactions could be conducted within Raqqa itself.

The Raqqa Grain Corporation had previously managed to conduct local financial operations when it needed liquidity, indicating that the current obstacle is more regulatory than legal, according to several bakery owners.

Banks are not operating within Raqqa, and reliance on the "Sham Cash" application is limited, forcing them to make direct cash transactions in Aleppo.

Bakery owners complain about the complexities of payments at the Aleppo bank, including the rejection of certain denominations, such as the 2,000 Syrian pound note, the requirement to use the new currency, and severe overcrowding and slow counting procedures. This forces some to stay overnight in Aleppo or return without completing the payment.

Those affected believe these procedures place an additional burden on a vital sector that directly impacts the provision of bread to the population. They emphasize that their continuation could negatively affect the stability of production and the availability of this essential commodity in the markets.

The affected people, through ANHA agency, called for urgent solutions, most notably the opening of a center dedicated to the Grain Corporation in Raqqa to receive payments and issue bills locally, or activating electronic payment methods that are compatible with the field reality, in order to reduce the hardship of travel and ensure the continuity of work without obstacles.

Sh-S

ANHA