Beirut: Michael Hamati emerged from a long queue in Beirut Bakery sweating dripping from his forehead, because the collapse of the Lebanese economy triggered an increase in drawback.
“There is nothing left in this country,” said 72 years, when dozens of people shouted behind him in boiling heat for their turn.
Lebanon flocked to the bakery before dawn on Friday, desperate to find affordable bread in the country of fuel and medicines already in a critical short supply.
Rush came after the central bank on Wednesday said it was no longer able to subsidize fuel in Lebanon.
The state, struggling with political chaos since 2019, has also been hit by the worst global economic crisis in 150 years, according to the World Bank.
At least 78 percent of the population of more than six million strong people below the poverty line and business can hardly survive.
The Lebanese pound has lost more than 90 percent of its value against the dollar in the black market in less than two years.
Many bakeries have been closed because they cannot afford to pay the increase in fuel costs needed to power the private generator as electricity cuts last for about 20 hours a day.
Those who remain open have produced production to make the subsidized flour they receive from the country to last longer, which leads to shortages in shops and supermarkets.
Hamati arrived at Bakery Beirut early in the morning, preparing to wait long.
“This is the first time I came to this bakery.
There was no bread left in the store,” he told AFP.
“Is there anything left at all” in Lebanon? He asked.
Lebanon has been gripped by a fuel crisis since the beginning of the summer, with importers blaming shortcomings in delays by the government in opening credit lines to fund imports.
The authorities accused the stockpiling distributor to sell it with a higher level in the dark market or cross the border in Syria.
“Bakery does not have the means to secure fuel oil and we do not know whether we will receive” from the country, said Ali Ibrahim, who heads the syndicate of bakery owner.
“They only gave us enough for two days even though the bakeries and mills had to accept enough for a month.” In the District Nabaa Beirut, Jacques al-Khoury looked confused when he tried to arrange the queue dozens of people waiting outside the bakery for bread.
The line began as early as 3:00 in the morning, just as he began to bake for the day.
“All bakeries in this area have been closed and all pressure on me,” he said.
Khoury, 60, said he received 36 tons of state subsidized flour per month but with demand to increase bread, it only lasted a week.
In the northern city of Tripoli, the poorest in Lebanon, many bakeries were forced to be closed while the supermarket had stopped selling bread.
Some Tripoli bread shops that remain open also struggle to compensate for demand.
“We recorded the amount of bread we distributed to the store,” said an employee at one of the largest bakery in the city.
“We provide it with half the usual number.” In one bakery in the southern city of Sidon, residents are only allowed to buy one bag of white bread each.
According to the United Nations, food prices have increased by 400 percent.
The cost of a basic food basket for one family is now five times the national minimum wage, the observatory crisis at the University of Beirut said.
“After we pay rent, we don’t have the remaining money,” said Mohammad Abdul Qader, a cake shop employee who needs five children.
He said the food became very expensive, he could no longer buy meat.
“I looked at the butcher from a distance, and then left,” he said.
“Yesterday, I ate stale bread” with onions and tomatoes.