June 3, 2020
Almost half of the workforce in the bakery industry had migrant labourers especially from north India. With the lack of operational workers, the business sees a sharp fall in production, the city may face shortage of bread and other products.
After the outbreak of the pandemic, the bakery business has badly suffered with half of the labour force having left the city to go back to their native land. Numerous medium and small bakeries are shut leading to joblessness. The industry analysts are of the opinion that the situation might lead to shortage of bakery products which will affect the consumption of the customers.
“The business is badly affected. The labourers had no option but to leave the city because of the way the lockdown was handled,” K.P. Irani, owner of Wibs bread told media.
Though big bakeries like Wibs are largely automated, there is still a requirement for manpower. “Sixty to Sixty-five per cent is automation while the rest is done by workers,” he added. Irani said, “While big bakeries can pay the salary during lockdown, small bakeries cannot. I am hoping the workers will come back once normalcy returns,” he said.
One of the oldest bakeries in South Mumbai, Yazdani has suffered due to lack of demand and the migration. “We were functioning even during the lockdown. However, the demand for bakery products has reduced. Half of the staff here has no work, so they left. But we ensured that they were paid and protected,” said Zyros Zend from Yazdani bakery. He, however, refused to believe there is shortage of bread in the city. “There was a problem only during the first 15 days of the lockdown but things have improved since then. The workers will come back as there is no employment in their villages,” he said.
D’Costa Bakery off Hill Road in Bandra is facing 60 per cent staff shortage and has stopped catering to wholesale clients. “We are addressing only retail demand. Since many of those working now want to go home, it will further affect production. We are operating in one shift only. As there is no night shift, ‘pav’ production has stopped. About 90 per cent distributors of ‘pav’ who come on bicycle have gone back home. If the workers do not return in the next 15 days, the city will face shortage of bread,” said Ahsan D’Costa of the D’Costa Bakery. His family runs National Bakery in Bandra which too is affected due to staff crunch. Evaluating the situation the scene looks grim!!!