There has been a rise in the price of bread but consumers are not the only ones to complain. Bakers are far from satisfied with the increase announced by the government, which has not met their expectations. They are now in negotiations with the government, as they have threatened to start a strike.

On Sunday evening, all bakeries were beseiged by the public after bakers had announced their intention of going on strike for two days. They had planned to resume work on Wednesday but a visit by the minister of Consumer Protection, Indira Seebun, made them change their minds. They accepted not to close down yesterday morning but only supplied bread to teh public until around ten.

Bakers are angry that the government did not take their point of view into account. They had actually asked for a 75% increase in the price of “pain maison” – controlled by the government – but obtained 22% only. Moreover, this comes at the same time as an increase in the price of flour and diesel. The president of the Bakers’ association of Mauritius, Nazir Hosany, explains, “We can’t cover the increase in production costs while our revenue remains the same.” Speaking on behalf of the bakers, Nazir Hosany, said he was convinced that “if the government does not accept our proposals, then there will certainly be closures.”

Bakers insist that their action – as well as their determination to increase the price of bread – is in no way directed against consumers (who will still be the ones to suffer from it). They made it clear that it is a matter of survival for them. “An increase is never accepted easily. But unfortunately, this is an economic reality like the increase in the price of oil or electricity. I believe that, if the Mauritian public is honest, it will realise that the price of bread in Mauritius is not high at all.”