Nicosia, March 20: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, facing clashes and widespread discontent in the poorer neighbourhoods over the price of bread, has ordered the army bakeries to supply bread to the commercial market to stem shortages caused by corruption and rising international wheat prices.
Millions of Egyptians, who live below the poverty line, survive on subsidized bread, which is 12 times less expensive than that sold at commercial bakeries.
With the rising wheat prices, which have tripled since last summer, many people find it impossible to buy bread from commercial bakeries.