Bread Prices Will Increase Again

Hashmatollah Asgari, the Deputy Governor of Tehran, announced that "with the new wheat prices for the coming year, the price of bread will change again." With this news, we should expect another increase in bread prices in the upcoming year, while we have already witnessed price increases throughout this year. The price differences in various bakeries were among the issues reported multiple times during the year. This government official justified the existing price differences by stating that "currently, flour distributed in bakeries is sold at three different prices, which is why we are witnessing a multiplicity in bread prices." Asgari also predicted that "in this manner, we will practically face five to six different price models for flour next year," indicating that this trend will continue. To resolve the issue of "multiplicity" in bread prices, the Deputy Governor of Tehran suggested that "to overcome this situation, it is better to standardize flour prices, and if liberalization occurs, the situation will improve." Asgari considered this action "within the government's jurisdiction" and emphasized that "we must eliminate this multiplicity in flour prices." Previously, the website "Noor News" reported unofficial and stealthy increases in bread prices in Tehran, stating that some types of bread have increased by more than 100%. According to this security media, in ten provinces, including Qazvin, Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan, Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Hormozgan, and Yazd, bread prices have been sold with a 25% increase since last week. Noor News also quoted an industry expert stating that "the control of bread prices has slipped from the government's hands because the fundamental supportive policies in recent years have been flawed." The report also referenced the smart flour and bread plan under President Ebrahim Raisi, emphasizing that the smart plan has been unsuccessful. Previously, the spokesperson for the Organization of Trade Violations announced that selling bread at prices higher than the approved rate constitutes price gouging and is a violation. He emphasized that violators would be "dealt with." According to the government news agency ISNA, Mohammad Ali Esfahani reiterated that any additional charges by bakeries are considered violations, and the organization will take action to address this issue. In November of this year, following reports of bread being sold for 100,000 tomans in Tehran, the Minister of Agriculture responded by saying: "Yes, this action is underway." The sale of 100,000 toman bread in Tehran was reported while media had previously announced that bread prices in Tehran bakeries had increased again despite a 75% increase in the official rates of various types in September, due to the addition of "desired prices" by bakeries. Meanwhile, experts believe that the rise in bread and other essential goods is influenced by inflation and rising gasoline prices, and is not due to the profiteering of bakers. In recent weeks, during protests by guilds and retirees in various cities, protesters, while demanding their professional rights, chanted in protest against the dire economic situation: "We say our salaries are low, bread prices will rise."