Enab Baladi – Tal Abyad
Residents of Tal Abyad, located in the northern Raqqa governorate, are complaining about the poor quality of bread produced in the automatic bakeries affiliated with official institutions, amid a lack of oversight and weak adherence to basic standards in bread production.
Residents have expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of bread distributed by these bakeries, as it crumbles quickly and is often not suitable for consumption just a few hours after production. Additionally, there is a noticeable change in its taste and smell, prompting some to heat or toast it to avoid wasting it.
Decline in quality
The quality of bread has declined over the past three months, with residents frequently noticing it is not baked thoroughly and properly. Some have also complained about an unpleasant odor resembling that of fuel.
Mohammad Adnan, 45, from the town of Suluk, expressed his frustration with the decline in bread quality, stating that the bread available has changed during the last three months, becoming poor in taste and appearance, forcing locals to buy it out of necessity, even though it is often not fit for consumption without toasting or modification.
He added that the loaves are frequently burnt at the edges or undercooked inside, leading residents to cut and toast them, while in some cases, they are thrown away entirely.
Adnan attributed this to poor oversight on the bakeries and the quality of flour, noting that residents are considering returning to home baking despite its difficulties and high costs.
A bread distributor in Suluk confirmed to Enab Baladi that the quality of bread has declined for about three months, a situation that has annoyed residents and decreased their willingness to collect their daily allocations.
The distributor, who preferred to remain unnamed, explained that some residents have stopped collecting bread upon seeing its poor quality, and some have resorted to baking bread at home using a saj or a tandoor.
He further stated that as a distributor, he has incurred financial losses due to unsold quantities of bread, forcing him to reduce the amounts he buys from the bakeries to prevent further losses.
He indicated that residents’ complaints had been referred to the Directorate of Supply and Automatic Bakeries, where gradual and slow improvements were noted, urging relevant authorities to intervene urgently to resolve the issue.
In Tal Abyad city, the situation is not much different, as Harith al-Hassoun complained about poor bread quality, describing the bread as crumbly and quick to dry out.
He clarified that the bread breaks upon touch, not retaining its texture for more than two hours, making it unfit to be a staple meal as it once was.
This decline in quality, according to him, is not only related to the bakeries but also to the oversight of flour and bakeries, which has become entirely absent from the scene.
Al-Hassoun called for immediate action to improve bread quality, deeming it essential for the dignity of the people to receive a respectable loaf that reaches them properly and maintains their health.
Four bakeries
The town of Suluk and Tal Abyad rely on four bakeries operated by the local council, three of which are located in Tal Abyad and one in Suluk, providing subsidized bread for residents.
The price of a bread bundle is 15 Turkish liras, containing 25 loaves, a price considered lower than that in the nearby city of Ras al-Ain, where a bundle of 20 loaves is sold for 16 Turkish liras.
Bread shortages in Tal Abyad and Suluk town occur periodically, due to a decrease in the quantities of flour provided by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), leading to successive crises affecting residents’ lives.
The population of Tal Abyad is about 138,465, and most of them live in difficult financial conditions due to the lack of job opportunities, relying mainly on agriculture and livestock.
Monitoring residents’ complaints
Muteb Hussein, the Director of the Media Office in the local council of Tal Abyad, told Enab Baladi that the quality of bread produced by the four automatic bakeries in the city is considered relatively acceptable, despite occasional malfunctions affecting quantity and quality, which are dealt with quickly to avoid any negative impact.
He mentioned that the quantity of bread distributed is directly linked to the availability of flour, and when the quantities of flour supplied to Tal Abyad decrease, the amount of bread distributed to the residents of Tal Abyad and Suluk likewise declines. He hoped that this issue would be resolved in the future in coordination with the Syrian government.
He added that the distribution process is carried out through appointed distributors from the bakeries and supply directorate, who directly monitor residents’ complaints, and if unresolved, they are referred to the competent supply office.
As for the bread not meeting specifications, it is returned to the bakery for immediate replacement, according to him.
He indicated that the Directorate of Bakeries continuously works to improve bread quality and ensure steady production by operating more than four automatic bakeries, some of which operate continuously and others are activated as a backup plan, with ongoing supervision from the supply office and distributors, and maintaining open communication channels with residents to receive feedback and complaints.
Residents of Tal Abyad and its countryside primarily depend on agriculture as their livelihood, and the Syrian pound is the main currency in circulation in the area. However, the deteriorating economic reality and blockade have burdened the residents, making it extremely difficult to secure their daily needs.
Complaints about poor bread quality in Tal Abyad Enab Baladi.
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