Many people involved in the bakery industry have left the country seeking foreign employment opportunities due to the crisis in the industry, Bakery Owners Association President N. K. Jayawardena said.
Mr. Jayawardena said the price of wheat flour has not decreased and therefore, the bakery industry is struggling to survive and the sale of bakery products has also decreased.
Meanwhile, he said the operation of mobile bread vendors (Choon Paan) has greatly reduced.
The president also said that only 25 percent of wheat flour is released from Prima Ceylon (Pvt) Limited and Serendib Flour Mills (Pvt) Ltd, which have held the flour monopoly in Sri Lanka for many years.
He said that a large number of small-scale bakeries have now closed, those who were engaged in the industry are applying for jobs abroad, and some of them have already gone abroad.
He also said that although private traders are importing wheat flour from countries including Türkiye, there will be no reduction in the price of wheat flour.