MARGAO
As the humble pao was sold @ Rs five per piece going by the decision of the association of bakers, the All Goa Bakers’ and Confectioners’ Association on Saturday renewed their plea to the government to bail out the traditional Goan occupation with subsidies and incentives.
The Association offered a Thanksgiving Mass at the Holy Spirit Church to mark the World Bakers Day, with association President Peter Fernandes reminding the people that the bakers have hiked the price of bread by rupee 1 after six long years. “We expect the people of Goa to cooperate with the bakers and not create difficulties. The Goan bakery business has been taken over by outsiders. Around 90 per cent of the business is being run by outsiders hailing from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Karwar-Karnataka and South India and only 10 per cent is left in the hands of local bakers”, he said.
Saying that non-Goans, who have entered the business, have been dumping a host of bakery products in the Goan market, including the villages, Peter said this has only created further difficulties for survival of the local bakers in the business. “These outsiders are doing illegal business, but we have not found the FDA or the GSPCB cracking the whip and shutting down the shops of these outside bakers”, he lamented.
Reminding that the traditional bakers have been insisting on subsidies to run the business, he pointed out that firewood is not easily available now, which is disturbing the business.
Peter said the GSPCB has now asked the traditional bakers to switch over to gas or diesel ovens, but lamented that no incentives have been forthcoming from the government. “An electric oven costs around Rs 2.5 lakh. If the government is willing to give these ovens to the bakers, it will help in smooth switch over”, he said.
Saying the bakery occupation has been one of the oldest businesses of Goa since the Portuguese era, he sought cooperation from the government as well as from the public to ensure this business remains in the hands of traditional bakers.
