Bread producers plan protest against taxes, baking ingredients
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Bread, the staple food from the shores of the Atlantic to the arid North, will be scarce from 13 July as bakers say they will shelf their gloves and pans for two weeks from that date to protest against rising costs.
The price of a loaf of bread of any size has more than doubled in two years, gyrating with the rising prices of inputs such as flour, sugar, butter; apart from the rocketing price of petrol and diesel businesses use to run private power generators.
The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) gave notice of the strike in a statement issued after a meeting of its national executive council (NEC) in Abuja.
AMBCN said it has no option than to go on strike if the federal government does not address its demands, which include helping to lower the cost of baking materials.
“Increase in prices of bakery materials, especially flour and sugar haved reached unprecedented levels. For example, flour is now between N25,000 and N27,500, so also other ingredients, said the statement signed by AMBCN National President Mansur Umar.
“The National Wheat Cultivation Committee already constituted is yet to be inaugurated after over one year. NAFDAC, SON, and NESREA have turned the bakers into money-making machines by charging our members’ outrageous levies even at this very challenging moment.
“Consequently, the NEC in session resolved that all zones, state, local governments and units of our association should commence full mobilisation of our members nationwide to embark on withdrawal of services starting from Wednesday, July 13, 2022, for an initial period of two weeks.”
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Price hike warning
AMBCN reiterated that the cost of flour, sugar, and other baking ingredients have risen beyond the reach of many bakers, per reporting by Nairametrics.
It said efforts to get government intervention have been unsuccessful as there is no positive response from ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The Premium Bread Makers Association of Nigeria (PBMAN) had warned in March that the price of bread would increase 50 per cent or more from April because of numerous challenges facing bakers.
PBMAN said the harsh business environment that has forced several bakers to shut down operations would lead to price rises and cripple bakeries.
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