Gaza bakers warn of worsening bread crisis amid severe supply shortages

GAZA, April 02 (YPA) – Abdel Nasser Al-Ajrami, head of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, has warned of a worsening bread crisis, saying current supplies are meeting only about half of the population’s needs.

In a press statement, Al-Ajrami said the crisis became more evident after the end of Ramadan, as a growing gap between production and demand coincided with declining deliveries of flour and fuel to bakeries.

He noted that a 30% reduction in flour and diesel allocations by the World Food Programme (WFP) has led to a drop in daily bread production from around 300 tons to approximately 200 tons, further limiting bakeries’ ability to meet demand.

Al-Ajrami also warned of a gradual shift from a subsidized bakery system to a commercial model, with diesel currently the only commodity still being supplied. He said such a move could increase financial pressure on residents and threaten the stability of bread production.

The lack of commercially available flour remains a major obstacle to opening six new bakeries scheduled for April, despite the urgent need to expand production capacity, he added.

In an effort to ease the shortages, Al-Ajrami said contacts have been made with Israeli authorities to submit lists of closed bakeries, seeking permission to import raw materials through private traders under current restrictions.

He stressed that the crisis is already having a direct impact on the humanitarian situation in the territory, where a large portion of the population depends on subsidized bread, and warned of serious risks to food security.

Al-Ajrami called on international organizations and relevant authorities to intervene urgently to ensure the continued operation of bakeries and the provision of essential supplies, in order to meet at least minimum food needs as conditions continue to deteriorate.

@E.Y.M