What is it with Georgian bakers these days?

Is there really a flour shortage? Has the demand for bread shrunk? The price has increased by 40% over the last two years.

6 weeks ago or so I had reported on my desperate search for the Georgian lavash.

Yesterday I went off for my weekly shop, and passed by my local baker's which was open. Yeah! So I could leave the bread buying until just before I got home, and it would be nice and fresh.

Tootled down to almost the river, and picked up the other bits, climbed back up the hill, arrived at the baker's - and he had no bread left - would be open again at 8 pm, he told me. So I had to run a bit down the hill again to find my lavash. In the evening, going out, I passed another baker's who does very good bread, and who I had seen open recently, and he was closed, too. Also, I have to say, that the bread has not been as hot, fresh and crunchy as it used to be - a lower turn-over? Does not sell like hot-cakes any more?

Very strange. Meanwhile I am off on the hunt for yeast. Seems difficult to find in Tbilisi - will I really have to go to the hypermarket 16 km from my home, for a packet of yeast?