Bakers in Lagos State have urged the
Federal Government to intervene in the prices of baking materials, which may
lead to increase in the prices of bread by 60 per cent anytime soon.
The bakers
complained that the increase in the prices of baking materials was because of
the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world.
In a statement by the Lagos
Chairmen, Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Kosofe and
Surulere local chapters, Comrade Taiwo Akintola and Comrade Ibitoye Oladapo,
the group expressed sadness over the situation the bakers were battling with.
According
to the association, the high cost of baking materials is killing the bakery
businesses, as many bakeries are finding it difficult to make profits due to
the high cost of the materials.
“A bag of
flour that costs N9,000 before COVID-19, now goes for N13,000, while a bag of
sugar now costs N24, 000 as against the former price of N13,000.
“Butter is
now N12,000 against N7,500, while milk, which was hitherto N29,000, now goes
for N52,000. And there is an increase in the Bread packaging cost which
is now N12, 000 against the former price of N10,000,” the group said.
They added
that the prices of salt, yeast and other baking materials had also hit the roof
top.
The
association also explained that the instability of foreign exchange, high cost
of diesel and other baking materials were reasons given by flour millers for
the hike in the prices of baking materials, stressing that the association has
appealed to flour millers and other people involved in the selling of baking
materials to reduce their prices, but is yet to yield favourable response.
“And that
is why we are pleading with Federal Government to intervene in this matter by
talking to flour millers and baking material sellers to bring the prices down.
“Master
bakers association is one of the largest employers of labour in the country and
most of the bakeries are folding up, many Nigerians working in the bakery
sector are already losing their jobs,” the group added
While
appealing to both federal and state governments to quickly come in and address
the situation for the benefit of all, the association maintained that “If we
are supposed to follow the trend of increase in the prices of raw materials for
our production, the prices of bread may increase by 60per cent,” the bakers
said.
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