Bakers in Lagos State have called on the Federal Government to intervene in the prices of baking materials, saying the current situation may lead to an increase in the prices of bread.
In a statement jointly issued by the Chairman of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Kosofe and Surulere, Lagos, Taiwo Akintola and Ibitoye Oladapo, respectively, the group demonstrated unhappiness over the rates of baking materials due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They claimed that the cost of the materials is killing the bakery business, as many bakeries are no longer to make profits.
A bag of flour that cost N9,000 before COVID-19, now goes for 13,000 naira , while a bag of sugar now costs N24,000 as aginst the former price of N13,000.
They said Butter is now N12,000 as against the former price of N7,500, while milk, which was hitherto N29,000, now goes for N52,000.
He said that there is an increase in the bread packaging cost, which is now 12,000 naira, against the former price of 10,000 naira.
They added that the prices of salt, yeast and other baking materials had hit the rooftop.
The association gives an explanation that the instability of foreign exchange, high cost of diesel and other baking materials, were reasons given by flour millers for the raise in the prices of baking materials, appealed to the millers and others for reduction in prices had not yielded any favourable response.
The association maintained that if the situation continued, the prices of bread might be increased by 60 per cent.
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