Death on the breadline

March 27, 2008

Egypt continues to be stirred up by bread shortages that have seen long lines forming outside subsidised bakeries and led to the death of at least seven people. The high price of wheat on international markets has forced the government to increase its annual bread subsidy by 50 percent. The bread subsidy has been in place for decades as part of Egypt's economic policy and since riots against a bread price rise in 1977, changes in prices are managed extremely carefully.