Kashmir Bread Price: FCSCA to hold meeting with Bakers association tomorrow

Srinagar, Jan 01: The Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) is scheduled to hold a meeting with the Bakers Association on Thursday to discuss the issue of hike in Kashmiri bread price.

A top official of FCS&CA told Greater Kashmir that the department has done a complete analysis of all the aspects related with preparing Kashmiri bread and there are chances that rates may again get revised after holding another discussion with the Bakers association.

"We have done a complete analysis of the issue. Considering all the aspects including price of all the ingredients and other things used in making different varieties of Kashmiri bread, we are planning to suggest revised rates for the Kashmiri bread," the official told Greater Kashmir.

Earlier, the Bakers association doubled the rates and fixed the rates for traditional bread (Girda, Lawasa, and Tchochwor or Telvor) as Rs 10 per piece which was earlier being sold at Rs 5. The bakers stopped preparing items sold at Rs 5 earlier.

However, after the intervention of the divisional administration, the Bakers association slashed the rates and fixed it as Rs 7 for small Roti.

As the Bakers association fixed the rates themselves, the FCS&CA expressed helplessness in regulating the prices of eatables and other essentials stating that it no longer has this mandate. It has come to the fore that the FCS&CA has lost the mandate to regulate the market rates since June 2023.

Meanwhile a top official said that Rs 7 per piece fixed by the Bakers association was not the final decision as the issue will be further deliberated with them in Thursday's meeting.

"We will call them and discuss the issue with the association. As the analysis new rates should be fixed as Rs 6 per piece weighing 41 grams," the official said. He said the final outcome of the meeting will be announced on Thursday evening.

The Director FCS&CA, A R War meanwhile confirmed that a meeting was scheduled with the Bakers association to discuss the current price of Kashmiri bread.

"After holding a meeting with the bakers association, the divisional administration will be briefed about the developments accordingly," A R War told Greater Kashmir.