Bakers Call for Raising Bread Prices

Iran’s Traditional Bakers’ Union has called for a rise in bread prices, stressing that prices have remained unchanged for 30 months now. “Bakers across the country cannot cover their expenses, including the costs of flour, fuel, water, electricity and workers’ wages and insurance, at the current prices of bread”, Qasem Zera’atkar, the union’s managing director, was quoted as saying by IRNA. Over 72,000 licensed bakeries are oprerating in Iran, of which 80% enjoy government subsidies and the rest buy flour at market prices.