LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Bread . For Egypt 's middle classes it is breakfast , lunch and dinner . In Egyptian Arabic it is known as `` aish '' which means both bread and life . Bread is the staple food of Egypt 's poor -- 40 percent of whom live on around $ 2 per day . For many Egyptians the flat , round bread is also becoming a symbol of the country 's inequalities . Rocketing global commodity prices and failing domestic supplies have made this staple food unaffordable for 20 percent of the country 's 76 million inhabitants . The Middle East 's most populous country is not alone in these problems . The UN warned economic turmoil could hit many of the world 's poorer countries as global inflation spirals -- but with 40 percent of the population living near the poverty line , the price rise has struck particularly hard . Earlier this week , in the gritty industrial city of Mahalla al-Kobra , northern Egypt , a teenager was killed during two days of violent clashes between residents and police . The protesters , who are enraged by low wages and rising prices , also tore down a billboard of Egypt 's President Hosni Mubarak . Prime Minister , Ahmed Nazif , rushed to the city to try to head off any further escalation in the civil disturbances and workers were promised bonuses and concessions . But for many Egyptians , these moves are too little too late . On the streets , the popularity of Mubarak 's regime is at an all time low . The riots in Mahalla al-Kobra are the latest in a series of flares in social unrest . Read CNN Correspondent , Ben Wedeman 's blog about the Egypt crisis . Despite a growing economy and billions of dollars in international investment , average wages remain low and the gulf between the country 's tiny elite and the majority of workers grows ever wider . The doubling of prices over the past year and an acute shortage of government subsidized bread has acted as a catalyst to the population 's smoldering discontent . All Egyptians can buy the cheap government subsidised bread under a decades old socialist-inspired system that also provides subsidies for public transport and gasoline . As unsubsidized bread -- which can sell at 10 to 12 times the cost of government bread -- becomes unaffordable for a portion of the population the demand for government bread is growing . At the same time the supplies of subsidized bread have also decreased . The population is jaded and many people believe that corruption is behind the shortages . Rumors circulate that subsidized bakeries would rather sell their flour on the black market than use it to produce bread . People have no choice but to wait in line to buy government bread . `` I 've been standing here for hours , and we are not close to getting bread yet , '' Mohammed el-Deeb , a manager at a medical company told the Associated Press , `` Of course I need to stand in the line , I ca n't afford the other bread . '' In recent weeks , two people were stabbed and killed when fights broke out over government bread . Five others died from exhaustion caused by hours spent standing in line . There are fears the unrest could emulate the 1997 bread riots in which 70 people were killed after the government raised the price of bread and other subsidized foods . The government is facing a political crisis and has ordered the army -- which normally only makes bread for employees -- to increase production and distribute it to the public . The army opened 10 large bakeries in Cairo and set up 500 kiosks to sell bread to the public , according to the government . Read John Defterios ' blog about the Egyptian food crisis . Egypt grows about half the wheat it consumes every year and buys the rest from the world market . Egypt 's Finance Minister , Youssef Boutros Ghali says this is what is causing all the problems : `` The price rise is being driven by what is happening in the international markets . The local component is very little . '' He also believes the international investment and economic growth needs time to trickle down through the whole population , `` It 's not enough . There are 77 million of us . For the 77 million to feel it we need at least five , six , seven years plus of growth , '' he said . But that wo n't give much relief to the country 's citizens , many of whom currently live on $ 2 a day . E-mail to a friend .
Bread is the staple food of the Middle East 's most populous country . Skyrocketing global commodities prices are making it unaffordable for the poor . Comment: A teenager was shot by police in Northern Egypt during two days of civil unrest .