Expected dearth of bread, milk, staple commodities during Eid days

The National Union of Tradesmen and Craftsmen is expecting a dire lack of bread, milk, vegetables and other basic commodities on the Algerian market during the holiday days of the upcoming Eid festival marking the end of the holy month of fasting of Ramadhan.

The Union’s spokesman, Hadj Tahar Boulenouar, told Echorouk that the expected lack in these large-consumption products was mainly due to the cessation by the farming workers of their daily supplies to the wholesale markets in various parts of the country during the days of the Eid feast as every year round.

He also said that milk supplies would also witness a marked slump during the Eid days, adding that milk output in Algiers province for instance had decreased this year with a production of just 200,000 liters a days compared to 600,000 liters per day in the recent past.

This slump in the production of this vital large-consumption product is due to several untoward factors which are in need of swift remedial measures by the relevant authorities to shore up national milk production and live up to the nationwide demand, he explained.

It should be noted that the trade ministerial department issued earlier this week a set of firm instructions to traders, including bakers, not to close shop during the Eid days or face harsh punitive sanctions.

About 40% of businesses are thus expected to remain open during this holiday period in all major urban centers of the country in keeping with the strict guidelines issued by the Trade Ministry to this effect.