The Gazetteers Department

The occupation of bakery is of recent origin. However, the processed food-stuffs have not altogether succeeded in becoming the main constituent of the daily food of an average Indian. In 1961 there were 5,432 bakers, millers and brew-masters in the district.

In the majority of the cases, business is not hereditary. Most of the bakeries are owned by Muslims and Parsis. These shops are seen to cluster in busy localities and market places. They sell their products both on a wholesale and a retail basis.

The raw materials required for these establishments consist of wheat flour, sugar, yeast, butter, flavouring essences, eggs, etc. All these are purchased locally, mostly on wholesale basis. Fuel charges also constitute a major part of the expenditure of a bakery. On an average the expenditure ranges between Rs. 100 and Rs. 300 a month in case of a small establishment, between Rs. 300 and Rs. 600 in case of a medium-sized one and between Rs. 600 and over in a large-sized establishment.

The equipment consists of an oven with its accessories such as metal sheets, moulds, iron rods, etc. vessels and big plates to prepare dough and cupboards to keep the baked stuff. The cost of an oven is from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,500 depending on its size. The total expenditure under this head generally ranges between Rs. 600 and Rs. 4,000.

The working capital comprises the rent of the shop, expenditure on raw materials, fuel charges, electricity, etc. The expenses on rent range from Rs. 40 to Rs. 100 per month.

The small establishments are many a time managed single-handed with the help of the members of a family. Big bakeries are found to employ four to five workers. The earnings of a worker generally range between Rs. 75 and Rs. 125 per month depending upon the nature of the job undertaken. A baker is paid twice as much as an unskilled worker.

The products of a bakery include bread, cakes, biscuits (salted and sweet), toasts, etc. Bread of different sizes is sold at different rates per loaf. The demand for these products is almost steady throughout the year and a little less during the rainy season.

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