We will not only lose warm rolls. Slovakia is facing a food collapse, get ready for empty shelves, cook grocers
The protection of the Slovak market is illusory, the lack of truck drivers can paralyze the country’s economy. This is claimed by the Association of Road Carriers of the Slovak Republic ČESMAD Slovakia. Many Slovak drivers go abroad to work, for example in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Drivers flock to Britain
This island nation is issuing thousands of temporary work visas to truck drivers so that gas supplies can operate in the country. Britain is facing a major crisis due to a shortage of truck drivers. Goods are missing on store shelves, some regularly literally yawn with emptiness. The goods have no one to bring.
However, a total of hundreds of thousands of drivers are missing in Europe, and there are also more than 12,000 vacancies in Slovakia.
However, we will probably have to get used to empty shelves as well. There are two reasons. The first problem is insufficient conductor and the second is energy prices. Slovak bakers point out that due to high energy prices they are in danger of stopping production.
The driver “does not want”
“The growing necessity in transport companies in Slovakia, where there is currently a critical shortage of drivers, can lead to drastic protests and shutdowns in Slovakia as well, as can be seen in the British Isles. After the first year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 20,000 professional drivers in Slovakia have ceased to operate, who have not renewed their driver qualification cards. “ first first vice-president of ČESMAD Pavol Piešťanský in a press release.
According to him, there are several reasons for the lack of professional drivers in Slovakia, but especially in the current situation may be uncompetitive legislative conditions. Slovakia is the last country of the European Union (EU), which insufficiently applies the EU directive on driver training and driving licenses and does not allow the age of professional drivers who could come to the labor market.
Further information on whether the travel costs that the association considers unacceptable. Another problem is the closing of borders for applicants for work permits in Slovakia from third countries. According to Piešťany, a critical shortage of drivers would solve the introduction of national visas for the profession of driver.
The Association of Carriers is convinced that if the passenger carriers had a sufficient workforce, they will bring an additional 10 to 100 million CZK per month in Slovakia. euros in revenues and millions of euros to social and health insurance companies.
“During the summer, carriers in Slovakia do not need to provide thousands of transports per day and the association expects the situation to deteriorate in the coming months. ČESMAD Slovensko cannot control the Slovak Republic for the immediate introduction of measures so that we do not face the collapse of supply as in the United Kingdom. The Association of Road Carriers is convinced that the Slovak government cannot intervene and that hauliers will not be forced to force their reaction, “ added Piešťanský at the end.
Bakers in trouble
The situation with rising electricity and gas prices is hard for Slovak bakers, confectioners and travelers. The production of bread or pastries is, above all, very energy-intensive, and after the costs of labor and raw materials, energy prices make up the third most important cost item. If the state does not approach the situation quickly, bakers who are already on the verge of production costs may be forced to start production. This was stated on Monday by the executive director of the Slovak Association of Bakers, Confectioners and Travelers (SZPCC) Milan Lapšanský.
“Compared to September last year, gas prices rose by 170%. Electricity prices are breaking records and are twice as high as last year. We are completely dependent on gas and electricity for our production. The government urgently needs to find a solution for businesses that supply food to the population. It concerns not only bakers but also other food sectors such as dairies, butchers and maltsters who are in a similar situation,“Milan Lapšanský said.
Pastry is a basic or image assortment for traders, and in counter lengths, individual retail chains compete significantly according to the SZPCC. According to the association, more price-sensitive consumers focus on the choice of places of purchase, often oriented precisely according to the prices of the basic assortment, ie goods that are always in shopping baskets. Therefore, bakers have long been unable to adjust their sales prices in a timely manner, which are a relevant and documentable argument. However, according to the Lapšanský preparation, bakers are no longer to supply chains below production costs.
“If the government fails to resolve this energy crisis, it may be difficult to find fresh bread and pastries on store shelves. And if so, the prices will be significantly higher. The government neglected bakers during the COVID pandemic and did nothing to help them. The effects are all the more overwhelming as the prices of all significant cost costs, from raw materials, through both materials and energy, to the price of fuels, have jumped almost together. It may happen that food production in Slovakia is collapsing, ”Lapšanský added.
The Slovak Association of Bakers, Confectioners and Pasta brings together producers from all over Slovakia. It has almost 500 members from SZČO to large bakeries. The members of the association ensure daily consumption of bread, pastries, confectionery and tourism of Slovaks and Slovaks and employ more than 12,000 workers.
Source: SITA