Egypt: Fuel and bread shortages

It is the shortage of bread that causes revolutions.

Egypt: Fuel shortage threatens bread supplies

It has been three months since a fuel shortage hit Egypt and people’s patience is wearing thin, amid fears that the crisis could disrupt the production of subsidised bread

The Egyptian Gazette,

26 April, 2012

"I’m really suffering, going from petrol station to petrol station every day, trying to find fuel for my bakery,” says Wael Helal. “I cannot go on like this for long. If things get worse, I’ll have to close down,” he adds sadly.

Most of Egypt’s subsidised bakeries need diesel to operate and some will have to close if the crisis continues.

Outside Helal’s bakery, men, women and children stand in two long queues, waiting their turn.

"I buy 20 loaves of this bread for one Egyptian pound; at one of the unsubsidised bakeries, I’d have to pay four Egyptian pounds,” says Mahmoud Mohamed, queueing outside the bakery.

“The subsidised bakeries are vital for millions of people like me, although I have to suffer every day to get my share of subsidised bread.”

Observers say there is a 35 per cent shortfall in fuel. The Government blames hoarding for the crisis

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