Pao to get another bigger variant

Margao: In a bid to circumvent any criticism over price hike of the humble Goan pao, bakers in the state have decided to offer two variants of the pao – one weighing 30g costing 3, and the other weighing 50g costing 5.
Addressing reporters on Thursday, the All Goa Bakers and Confectioners’ Association (AGBCA) said the dual-sized paos will hit markets from July 1.
“Customers want bigger and better quality paoat the old rates. When the prices of all items are on an upward spiral, how can anybody expect paoprices to remain static?” president of AGBCA Peter Fernandes said.
He lamented the government’s failure in fulfilling assurances given to them by then chief minister Manohar Parrikar. “We were assured of a support price for bread by Parrikar and bakers had assured that the size of the bread would be retained. Pao size has become smaller as bakers cannot afford to sell it at the same rate,” Fernandes said.
After taking over as chief minister, Parrikar had assured bakers that the government would devise ways to provide some “stability” to the bakery units in the state. Bakers were planning to hike pao rates then.
“Paois an essential part of every Goan’s diet, and therefore, I have asked them to furnish details of their costing to me. The government will analyse the costing and work out a way to provide some stability to the business,” Parrikar had told reporters on September 30, 2012. Nothing materialized over the years.
“The plight of Goan bakers in Goa is pitiable. Non-Goans have entered this business and competition is killing the traditional industry. The traditional flavour of the Goan pao is missing as non-Goans are unable to replicate the local variety. Firewood, which is the most essential requirement for bread making, is in short supply and the prices are exorbitant. The government should step in and make provisions to make firewood available to bakers at reasonable rates,” Fernandes said.
Demanding that the government provide subsidies to bakers for purchase of bread-making machinery, two wheelers, generator sets, etc, Fernandes said that AGBCA will take up the requirement with the chief minister .
The AGBCA was formed in January 2016 after a section of members of the All Goa Association of Bakers (AGAB) separated following differences and formed the new body. Currently, both associations represent the interest of Goan bakers.