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Lebanon faces bread crisis amid flour shortage

April 6, 2022 at 2:59 pm

Workers pack Lebanese flat breads from a conveyor at a bakery in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 31, 2022 [Hasan Shaaban/Bloomberg via Getty Images]

Lebanon’s Bakery Union, on Wednesday, warned of a bread crisis in the Arab country as several wheat mills halted operation due to lack of funding, Anadolu News Agency reports.

In a statement, the Bakeries Syndicate said bread bakeries face a shortage of wheat flour in several Lebanese areas.

“A number of bakeries have stopped making bread, while others have limited quantities of wheat flour that are sufficient for only one day,” it added.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine could lead to bread shortages across parts of the Arab world - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could lead to bread shortages across parts of the Arab world – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]

The Union blamed Lebanon’s Central Bank for the crisis.

“Banque du Liban is delaying the payment of wheat shipments for unknown reasons,” he alleged.

There was no comment from the Central Bank on the claim.

Lebanon needs around 40,000-50,000 tons of wheat to meet the local market needs. The Arab country imports around 60 per cent of its wheat needs from Ukraine and Russia, which launched war on its neighbour in February.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with a severe economic crisis, including massive currency depreciation, as well as fuel and medical shortages.

The Lebanese currency has lost 90 per cent of its value, eroding people’s ability to access basic goods, including food, water, healthcare and education, while widespread power outages are common due to fuel shortages.

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