FCT bakers express worry over high cost of baking materials

The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN), FCT chapter has expressed concern over the increase in prices of baking materials, saying it will cripple the business.

Some members of the association spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The association said that if nothing was done to urgently arrest the high cost, it would cripple the bread business and others associated with baking

Mr Ishaq Abdulkareem, Chairman AMBCN said since the outbreak of COVID-19, prices of goods and services had been increasing.

Abdulkareem said prices of major commodities used in bread production such as sugar, flour, margarine, milk, vegetable oil among others have increased significantly.

“The increase in the prices of these commodities had gone up from 30 per cent to over 100 per cent within a short period.

“There was also increase in electricity tariffs and taxes which also contributed to the problem of the bakery industry in Nigeria,” he said

According to Abdulkareem, if the trend continues, there will be serious problems in the bakery industry

He called on the Federal Government to look into the issue and save the multi-million dollar industry from collapse as bread is a staple food.

Mr Nura Musa, the public relations officer of the association said there was a need for the government and other stakeholders in the sector to work together to find a lasting solution.

Musa said if nothing was done urgently; it could affect some other small bakeries trying to find their feet in the business.

“Some of our members have closed down their businesses because of the daily increase in prices of raw materials and the continuous multiple taxations from government agencies,” he said.

Mrs Yemisi Birch of Bon Bread company also appealed to the government and various stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the incessant increase in prices of raw materials.

Birch said an increment in the price of baking materials would not augur well for the business, adding that such an increase had become a yearly routine.

She said that a lot of bakers and sellers might soon be out of business because of their inability to cope with the incessant increase in the prices of bread. (NAN)