Bakery production levels at quarter of pre-curfew amounts as demand plunges

AMMAN — The demand on bakeries has become “very weak” as production took a recent downturn to 500 tonnes per day from 2,000 tonnes of bread production before the curfew began, Bakery Owners Association President Abdullah Hamawi said in a statement.

“Most of the 500 tonnes has not even been sold, as citizens are currently consuming the bread that they bought before the lockdown was announced, or are only buying amounts sufficient for their daily needs after they have made sure that bakeries will keep their doors open for direct sales to the citizens,” said Hamawi.

He noted that the bakeries have limited their production to basic bread in the past few days but have now started producing bread for people with wheat allergies, brown bread and barley bread.

Bakeries will also start producing sweets and cakes in the coming period.

Hamawi called on citizens not to rush to bakeries, as 50,000 tonnes of bread were sold in the past two weeks and business is “expected to return to normal” within the next week.