Fuel price hike halts flour deliveries to bakeries in Jazira

All civilian bakeries in the Jazira region halted operations on Tuesday after flour failed to reach them, following the Transitional Government’s sharp increase in fuel prices on September 13. The government raised the price of a liter of diesel from 12,500 old Syrian pounds to 17,500 pounds.

In the context of monitoring the cessation of bakery operations, ANHA agency spoke with Ismail Derwish, head of the Bakers’ Union in Qamishlo, to learn about the reasons behind the stoppage and the bread crisis affecting the Jazira region as a whole.

Derwish said that all civilian (private) bakeries had halted operations on Tuesday because flour had not reached them. He explained that the failure to deliver flour was due to the Grain Directorate not supplying bakeries, citing the rise in fuel prices following the Energy Ministry’s latest decision.

Derwish said they had contacted the Grain Directorate, which attributed the issue to the rise in fuel prices.  

Derwish also made clear that the Bakery Directorate has vehicles at its disposal but is not delivering flour to private bakeries, noting that there are 30 private bakeries in Qamishlo alone.

What does the Grain Directorate say about the crisis?

For its part, the Grain Directorate told ANHA agency that the mills are facing no problems in securing flour, stressing that flour is available in its warehouses.

It explained that the problem lies in transporting the flour, whether from Hasakah to Qamishlo and its surrounding areas, stressing that flour transportation falls under the responsibility of the Directorate of Supply, which has contracts with vehicle owners to transport flour.

The Grain Directorate also stressed that its priority in securing and transporting flour is focused on public bakeries.

ANHA agency contacted the Hasakah Directorate of Supply to inquire about the reasons for the failure to transport flour and how the issue could be resolved, but it did not respond.

ANHA