MADINAH — Bakeries and consumers are feeling the pressure from the shortage of wheat flour and the subsequent increase in prices in the local market.
“Our school has no sandwiches right now, there are only some snacks,” said Suhail Yousuf, a student in Madinah.
Some families are stocking up thinking that prices will continue to increase. “We buy a huge quantity of bread and keep it in our fridge for everyday use,” said Abdul Rahim, a father of five.
Some bakeries have closed after the price of flour has more than doubled recently. “I went as far as Badr (southwest of Madinah) to buy flour so that I don’t have to close my shop,” said Said Al-Jabri, a baker in Madinah. At the same time, he said, a black market is flourishing.
Khalid Gamamji, head of the branch of the Ministry of Commerce in Madinah, told Arab News that officials were working on a solution to avoid further bakery closedowns.
Consumers have noticed that the size and quantity of bread has shrunk. “We used to buy five pieces of flat bread for SR1,” said one Madinah shopper, who didn’t want to be named. “Now it’s three pieces for the same price.”
Small eateries are also feeling the pinch, especially shops catering to low-income workers, such as ful and tamiz shops.
According to Al-Eqtisadiah daily, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has asked the government permission to import two million bags of flour to replenish the market. The report also underscored the need to boost the country’s flour-producing capabilities.
The smuggling of government-subsidized flour to neighboring countries has become rampant lately. According to Al-Madinah newspaper, about 1,200 flour bags of 50 kilograms are smuggled out of the country each day, affecting supplies in the local market. Abdullah ibn Mahfouz, a JCCI board member and economic analyst, said that different governmental bodies should intervene to find an immediate solution to the problem before it escalates further.
