MIAMI, United States. — Few Cubans know that October 16 marks the world bread daya staple food whose first records date back approximately 10,000 years.
The establishment of the date corresponds to an initiative promoted by the International Federation of Bakers and has among its objectives to spread issues related to the history of bread, as well as its importance in the culture of various countries.
Research reveals that it was the Egyptians who discovered how to make bread and, with it, yeast, to give it greater volume and flavor.
During the Middle Ages, different types of bread began to be made. Given the shortage of wheat recorded at the time, white bread became a privilege that only the rich were able to consume, while black bread, made from barley, rye or oats, was what the rest of the population ate. So, bread was made by hand, in the home or public ovens.
In Cuba, bread was abundant in times of prosperity. However, currently its availability has decreased. The communist regime has blamed its shortage on the lack of flour, oil and other products necessary for its manufacture.
According to data from the Cuban state press, the price of bread that is marketed privately in Havana ranges between 150 and 200 pesos a bag.
In August 2022, the Temporary Work Group of the capital reported that there were problems with the production of this food, due to delays in the arrival of wheat and flour in the country, a situation that has persisted since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the situation has only gotten worse.
Most Cubans access bread through the supply book, which guarantees one daily per consumer. Historically, the quality of this product has been questioned due to the lack of essential ingredients for its manufacture.
The scarcity of bread for the population contrasts with its abundance in the so-called freely convertible currency stores, in hotels and other tourist centers.
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