Bread, Nigeria’s most staple food on the rise
By Sylva Emeka-Okereke, JP, Publisher
Bread prices soar from the initial N200 to N300 for the small size and to N900 from N700 for the big loaf, thus causing many consumers to abandon bread for a cheaper alternative.
Regrettably some consumers say there seems to be no less-costly alternative, as every single food item is very high in the Nigerian market of today. This situation, they say portends serious danger to the country, as a hungry man, according to them, is indeed, an angry man.
The hike is coming barely a week after the Premium Bread Makers Association of Nigeria, PBAN, suspended its four-day warning strike to express concern over the cost of flours and other confectionery materials in the market.
President, PBAN, Emmanuel Onuorah said his members had resolved to increase prices of bread in order to cushion the impact of the harsh operating environment.
“We have ended the warning strike/withdrawal of services. We finished it and we have resumed business. We have begun production and selling of bread. Master Bakers have started too. We ended it at the same time. You know, it was a joint resolution from the Master Bakers and PBAN. So, we have started work”, he stated.
We did increase the price of bread. We increased our bread price by 10 per cent; master bakers increased their bread price by 20 per cent.
Inasmuch as we wouldn’t have loved to implement any price increase, it is the only way we can remain in business.”
According to him, despite the recent hike, the bakers are still operating at a deficit, adding that members have been forced to adopt several survival strategies to remain in business.
In a statement signed by the Association, they noted that operating a bakery in Nigeria had become almost impossible, as the incessant increases in the prices of baking materials and diesel had affected the industry negatively.
According to the statement, “In a move to ensure the survival of the premium bread-making industry in Nigeria, we have decided to embark on a withdrawal of services beginning from Thursday 21st of July, 2022 for four days in the first instance and where there is no intervention from the government, we shall escalate the duration of the withdrawal.”
His words, “The reasons for the withdrawal of services included an incessant increase in the price of baking materials, Federal Government’s 15 per cent wheat development levy on wheat imports, NAFDAC’s N154, 000 penalty charged for late renewal of certificates, the inability of its members to access grants and soft loans being given by the Central Bank of Nigeria to Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises and multi-agencies regulation of the bread-making industry.”
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