Bread crisis in Qamishlo and Hasakah after fuel price hike

According to Kurdpress, the city of Qamishlo and various areas of the island in Hasakah province are facing a severe shortage of bread, and the amount of bread supplied in some bakeries does not meet the needs of residents.

According to a report published by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), industrial and March 12 bakeries in Qamishlo are facing a significant decrease in the amount of bread distributed, and private bakeries have also limited the amount of sales per person due to increased demand.

According to this report, in some private bakeries, each person is allowed to buy a maximum of three bags of bread.Each bag contains about six loaves of bread, and some residents have complained that the loaves are too small.

At the same time, the price of a loaf of bread has increased from 4,500 Syrian pounds to 5,000 Syrian pounds. This price increase came after the price of diesel increased, increasing the cost of fuel, which has increased the cost of production for bakeries.

The current crisis continues while Hasakah province has also faced widespread problems with fuel supply in recent weeks. According to Enab Baladi, in mid-September, dozens of bakeries in Hasakah, Qamishlo and the surrounding rural areas stopped operating after the price of diesel increased. Bakery owners had stated that the price set for bread was not commensurate with production costs, especially fuel costs.The fuel price hike has also affected the price of other types of bread in Qamishlo, with the price of thick bread in the city increasing from 25 to 50 Syrian pounds. The increase in transportation costs and other basic goods has also put more pressure on households.

In recent weeks, the increase in diesel prices has increased the cost of transportation and some services in the areas of the island, leading to protests and dissatisfaction among citizens. Reports indicate that the fuel crisis existed before the recent decision to increase the price, and the shortage of diesel for services in Hasakah province had intensified since late August.In the current situation, residents of the island regions are demanding a regular and sufficient supply of bread and preventing further increases in the price of this basic commodity; an issue that has become one of the most important livelihood issues in Syrian Kurdistan, given the simultaneous problems in the fuel, transportation, and other essential goods sectors.