Nigerian bakers hike the price of bread

Image: Business Post Nigeria

Bread has become very popular on Nigerians' dinning tables today. Many people depend on it for breakfast, lunch, dinner even snacks. However, Nigerians have to dig deeper into their wallets and bags to pay more for it. This is because bakers in some states have announced price increases due to the high cost of ingredients.

According to Kogi Master Bakers, speaking on Sunday, they have called off their strike but will increase the prices of their products. They had joined the nationwide strike declared by its national body to pressure the government to intervene regarding the prices of materials used in bread production.

"Although the federal government is yet to respond to our pleas and demands, we are satisfied that we have at least sent a message hoping for a positive result," Gabriel Bamidele-Adeniyi, Chairman, Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Kogi Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

"Unfortunately, as we resume production July 25, prices of bread will definitely increase by 20 percent.

"A bread of N200 will cost between N240 and N250, that of N500 will cost N600, that of N600; N750, that of N700 will cost N880, and that of N800; between N980 and N1, 000 respectively.

"We want the public to know that the new increment in prices of stable bread is not our making but that of the increase in the prices of commodities we use in bread production.

"We want the government to see to it that prices of yeast, sugar, and flour being imported are drastically reduced so that only three companies have the licence to import them.

"Unfortunately those three firms are monopolizing the prices of sugar, yeast and flour to the detriment of bakers in Nigeria," he lamented.

Mr. Bamidele-Adeniyi begged the government to do everything in its power for the sugar company in Bashuta to start production, hence opening up the opportunity for members to acquire the licence to import and obtain loans for better bread production.

However, bakers in Abuja last week distanced themselves from the strike, saying they chose to engage the government to find solutions. But they warned that if diplomacy failed, they would suspend production.

Bakers in Cross River said they would increase prices but reduce production quantities amid the high cost of ingredients and production. The state Master Bakers group leader, Thomas Odey, made this known in an interview with NAN on Monday.

Mr. Odey explained that the Cross River master bakers refused to join the national body in their two weeks strike but resolved to increase the price and reduce production quantity to prevent wastage.

The Director of Canaan Delight Bakery Nigeria Limited said that a withdrawal of service was not good for the system as a lot of average Nigerians would suffer because the bread was a staple commodity in the country.

"The planned increment is not even enough; this is because the price of every means of production has increased from condiments to diesel and all other raw materials.

"This is a global issue that is not peculiar to Nigeria or materials for baking alone, but the price of every foodstuff has increased significantly.

"In my contacts with big flour mills in the country, they will tell you the Russia/Ukraine crisis, exchange rate and the issue of sourcing foreign currency are posing major challenges and increasing the price of wheat flour," he said.

Speaking further, Mr. Odey revealed that the use of cassava and potato flour was an option but noted that the challenge with it was that the specific species of cassava needed for good flour production was not sufficient in Nigeria.

He said the regular cassava that was common in Nigeria was bitter when used to produce flour, while potato cultivation was still largely at a subsistence level, making production insufficient in the country.

"In my training with Flour Mill, I discovered that they mixed cassava flour with wheat to get what they used, but the kind of cassava they used was a specie we need to develop in large quantities.

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#Nigerian bakers

#Bread prices