This was like the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Come October 2nd the price of the pao will cost Rs 5 an increase of a rupee. That may not mean anything to the people belonging to the Champagne class but for a large percentage of the population it matters. Prices of essential commodities have been increasing making it difficult for the salary class to survive. In many cases salaries have been slashed making it difficult for families to balance their budget.
The Goa Bakers and Confectioners Association had delivered a memorandum to the CM in January. They rued the fact that business was shrinking due to the high prices of raw materials. This business the memorandum pointed out was run by Goan families with less workers and mostly without them day by day this business started shrinking due to high prices of raw materials, shortage of skilled labourers and demanding high salaries & commissions, firewood etc.
Their children, it pointed out, were qualified and graduated in different lines, family status had increased but their financial status remained the same. Peter Fernandes, President of AGBCA pointed out in the memorandum he wrote that many children were forced to migrate to jobs outside Goa and abroad leaving behind their old parents, due to which bakeries were leased to mostly non-Goans on old & health ground. With less skilled knowledge and without traditional methods, the charm, quality and flavor were lost.
For Kisan kumar who has been living in Goa for the past 15 years, he has been selling poi to make ends meet. He said “It’s very tough especially during this time. As I went around today to sell the bread, people were actually asking why we are increasing the price, but prices of raw material and other things have gone up and we don’t have much support from the officials”.
However for the average consumer like Glenn Cabral from old Goa the situation was very worrying. He said “Today the bread price has increased, a few weeks back the prices of petrol, Gas, electricity increased. Now even food item prices are going up. What can the common man do now? We have been hit very badly due to the pandemic; presently we don’t have any support. Looks like in a few days the rate of the bread can even touch Rs 10 per pao. It’s high time the Government should do something and look into increasing the prices of these essential foods.”
It is not a great time to be an everyday man. Working on a salary and having to deal with this situation can be a very tough experience. One can only hope someone in the government listens to the voice of the common man and initiates action that could provide them with some relief.
