News
Bread law binned, but bakers say flour duopoly hinders quality
View(s):- Moves to repeal 160-year-old Bread Ordinance following Sunday Times story
By Kasun Warakapitiya
The Sunday Times story of widespread sale of bread unfit for human consumption has prompted the Cabinet of Ministers to act.
The decision came after revelations that the 160-year-old Bread Ordinance was still in place making it difficult for authorities to take action.
Officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority said there are issues in enforcing the laws in the Ordinance. Fines are out of date.
The Cabinet approved on Monday the proposal by the Trade, Commerce and Food Safety Minister to instruct the legal draftsman to prepare legislation to repeal the act.
The Sunday Times story
The Trade Ministry Secretary, A.M.P.B Attapattu told the Sunday Times the cabinet paper submitted by the ministry to repeal the Bread Ordinance was approved and the responsibility for bread quality now lies with the CAA.
Mr Attapattu said amending the Ordinance was difficult, while there was no authority to implement the laws.
Former CAA chairman Sarath Wijesinghe told the Sunday Times that repealing the archaic Ordinance would not affect the quality of bread. He said the Ordinance was outdated and not implemented.
Officials of the CAA could use provisions of consumer laws and give directions to vendors, bakers, and eatery owners who sell bread. Officials would also be empowered to take legal action and make arrests.
Bakery owners welcomed the repealing of the Ordinance.
The Bakery Owners Association president, N.K Jayawardena said it was a good move. But, he said costs remain high. “The electricity bills are high, the price of flour remain high as the Government only allows two companies to import flour under a duopoly.’’
Mr Jayawardena asked that the Government provide concessions on electricity tariffs and that prices of ingredients be reduced, so bakers can offer quality products.
Consumers, though, don’t find any improvement. The loaf of bread (achchu pan) they buy for Rs 140 does not weigh 450g. Some say the bread is soggy and not fully baked.
A mother of three and a resident of Ambalangoda, Keraminiya W.A Champika Kularatna said she does not buy bread often. “The bread does not taste good and tastes like raw dough. My three sons who used to love bread with margarine say that the bread tastes bad.’’
So, she has had to cook rice for her children because they refuse to eat bread. She said her husband works on a multi-day fishing trawler.
Battaramulla resident S. A Rohana, an employee of a private company said that he too has felt that there is a different texture and taste.
He complained that the weight and size are suspect.
“Some days, the bread I consume tastes okay and feels heavy, but sometimes the bread looks small and the middle part of the bread contains holes as it had been consumed from within. There is no consistency of the quality,’’ he said.
Public Health Inspectors Union president, Upul Rohana said that officers check the hygiene of food items. PHIs can take action under the Food Act against bakers of bread who do not maintain cleanliness.
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