Table 3 Suggested strategies to improve the quality of wheat- flour- bread chain from the perspective of various stakeholders

Strategies in the field of wheat

- Managing and planning for producing high-quality wheat

- Industrialization of the agricultural system

- Observance of the correct principles of wheat planting and harvesting

- Mandatory implementation of the wheat standard

- Measuring the quality factors of wheat before purchasing

- Transferring the purchase of wheat to the non-governmental sector

- Separating wheat in terms of quality in factories

- Mixing different wheat varieties to get good quality flour

- Storing wheat in silos for a certain time to improve its quality

- Importing wheat from abroad and mixing it with domestic wheat

- Strengthening and expanding cooperatives to buy and sell wheat

“Why did wheat imports stop? Let it be imported and mixed with domestically produced wheat. When the imports are stopped, how is it possible to compete in the market with such poor-quality wheat? Can we bake high-quality bread? Of course not. No baker likes to sell poor-quality bread to people” (One of the bakers).

“We have different varieties of wheat that, if not mixed, we won’t have high-quality wheat. Each wheat variety will have the best quality if cultivated in a specific season. Different wheat varieties also have different colors. If they are properly mixed, the resulting flour will have a good color” (Head of traditional bread bakers’ union).

Strategies in the field of flour

- Allocating wheat quotas to flour mills based on the quality of the flour produced

- Aerating and storing flour in silos to reduce its moisture

- Increase the extraction rate to achieve the national standard level of bran in flour

“Flour mills receive their monthly quota from the government for producing whether high or poor-quality flour, so they don’t have any concern for being deprived, and do not make efforts to produce high-quality flour. The government should rate flour mills based on flour quality. The rating creates a competitive environment among flour mills” (Head of traditional bread bakers’ union).

Strategies in the field of bakery

- Holding training courses for bakery workers

- Improving the economic situation of bakers

-Annual pricing of bread commensurate with inflation and its production costs

- Considering non-financial penalties for offending bakers

- Standardizing bread-making devices

- Investing in improving the baking technology

- Standardizing the physical space of bakeries

- Ranking the bakeries and appreciating the top bakeries for producing high-quality bread

“A bakery worker must receive practical training, get information about wheat and flour, and gain experience baking bread. Having expertise and experience in this field is a significant issue. A baker specializing in baking bread can deliver good bread to the customer and vice versa; an untrained baker cannot turn even the best flour into bread. That’s why training is so important for bakers” (Head of traditional bread bakers’ union).

Strategies in the field of wheat-flour- bread chain management

- Assigning a specific and unified management apparatus to deal with bread issues

- Strengthening the cross-sectoral cooperation to improve the quality wheat-flour- bread chain

- Forming the committees to address issues related to bread quality in different provinces of the country

- Providing a strategy to manage salt used in bakeries in hot weather conditions by the relevant authorities

“You see, one person or an organization should be responsible in the field of bread, and others should cooperate with him. It should not be the case that I consider myself responsible for various issues related to bread, and another considers himself responsible. This makes a chaotic situation” (One of the key stakeholders).

Strategies in the field of consumers

- Holding educational programs within bread-related topics

“Culture-building activities should be implemented. Educational programs related to this issue should be broadcast on radio and television. The media should discuss the correct ways of storing and consuming bread and the health characteristics that a good quality bread should have. These are issues that need to be given much attention, especially by the Ministry of Health " (One of the key stakeholders).