AN acute shortage of bread looms in Zimbabwe following threats by major bakers to stop production in protest at new prices imposed by government last week. According to press reports, Eddie Cross, chairperson of the Bakers Association of Zimbabwe, said the price of bread fixed by government, of 28 US cents per loaf, would be roughly 20 percent lower than their production cost. “There is no way government can expect us to operate at that price. We do not have much choice. We obviously cannot defy the law, we will have to suspend production,” Cross said. The threat by bakers kindled fears of a major food crisis in the country just days after producers of the staple maize meal shut factories last Friday over a pricing stand-off with government.