Bread prices to rise by 25 pc

MUMBAI: The price of bread, the staple diet of Mumbaikars, is likely to be dearer by an estimated 25 per cent from September 11 if the demands of the Bakers'' Association are not met with.
"The retail price of pav will reach Re 1 from the existing 75 paise while that of 400 gmbread will beRs 11, a rise of Rs 2, and 800 gm bread will be Rs 22," Indian Bakers'' Association president K P Irani said.
He alleged that the open market sales scheme of the Food Corporation of India had resulted in creating an artificial shortage of wheat, increasing the wheat flour prices.
"There is an increase of wheat flour price, going up to Rs 1,075 per quintal, and the Centre fails to take corrective measures, there will be a further rise," he claimed.
The association has approached the Maharashtra government to intervene and ensure the supply of wheat at a stable price of not more than Rs 740 per quintal.
"If the government fails to do so, then we will be forced to hike the prices of pav and bread," Irani warned. Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, Shiv Sena legislator and convenor of the party''s action committee for essential commodities, said the government was exporting wheat at a rate of Rs 675 per quintal.
"If they can export wheat at Rs 675, why can''t they make it available for bakers at Rs 750?" he asked.
The association has written to Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and is slated to meet Maharashtra food and civil supplies minister Suresh Jain on Wednesday.