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The shortages forced shops in rural areas to increase the price of bread to between 10 rand and 15 rand from a dollar per loaf.
The general manager at Bakers Inn Belmont bakery, Mr Felix Vazhure, said the scenario was not a shortage but a mere upsurge in demand for bread in the market which exceeded production capacity.
“During the festive season we usually encounter such a scenario were market demand exceeds the bakery’s production capacity.
“At the moment our factory’s machinery has the capability to produce a maximum of 120 000 loaves per day while the market demand is over 150 000 loaves per day,” said Mr Vazhure.
He said the most affected areas were rural and urban areas which had an increased number of people in need of bread during the festive season.
“Rural areas are usually the most affected during the festive holidays, since they receive an influx of people coming from both urban areas and from outside the country to spend time with relatives.
“However, it is unfortunate that some of the shops in rural areas take advantage of the high demand to increase the price of bread,” he said.
Mr Vazhure said Bakers Inn intended to acquire state-of-the-art equipment that would boost production so as to increase product availability on the market.
“We are planning to acquire state-of-the-art machinery that would double production output, although liquidity challenges are a major hindrance to our goal,” he said.
No comment could be obtained from Lobel’s Bread, another major bread supplier in the city.
In separate interviews people looking for bread blamed bakeries with poor working conditions and failing to give workers decent salaries, which resulted in low production.
“Some of the bakeries in Bulawayo are failing to give their workers salary increments hence at the end of the day, resulting in low productivity levels.
“The bread producing companies should ensure that their workers work in a conducive environment which will boost their morale,” said Miss Linda Moyo.
Online Reporter