Azerbaijanis grumble over price hikes despite booming economy
Wednesday, 12 September 2007
BAKU, Sept 11 (AFP): Something's amiss in the bakeries of the Azerbaijani capital Baku.
The tendir chorak-long, flat loaves that have been the staple of this Muslim nation's diet for centuries-are still fresh, warm and tasty. But they're almost half the size they were a few weeks ago.
"Look at these, it's a joke," said 46-year-old housewife Hamida, holding up two steaming loaves she'd bought at a small bakery in central Baku. "They've been getting smaller for weeks. Now I have to buy two loaves instead of one."
Following major increases in flour prices this summer, bakeries across the capital have been steadily decreasing the size of a standard loaf instead of raising the usual price of 20 kopeks (24 cents).
Some of the blame rests with international wheat prices, which have hit record highs because of fierce global demand and flagging output. Azerbaijan imports about 40 per cent of the wheat used for making bread here.
The tendir chorak-long, flat loaves that have been the staple of this Muslim nation's diet for centuries-are still fresh, warm and tasty. But they're almost half the size they were a few weeks ago.
"Look at these, it's a joke," said 46-year-old housewife Hamida, holding up two steaming loaves she'd bought at a small bakery in central Baku. "They've been getting smaller for weeks. Now I have to buy two loaves instead of one."
Following major increases in flour prices this summer, bakeries across the capital have been steadily decreasing the size of a standard loaf instead of raising the usual price of 20 kopeks (24 cents).
Some of the blame rests with international wheat prices, which have hit record highs because of fierce global demand and flagging output. Azerbaijan imports about 40 per cent of the wheat used for making bread here.