Consumers groan as bread price goes up

Bread made in Nigeria

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Consumers of bread in Rivers State are groaning following 20 percent increase in the price by the Association of Master Bakers.

The chairman of the Association of Master Bakers in the state, Kolawole Adelegan, at a press briefing shortly after a meeting with members of the association in Port Harcourt, said the increment became effective July 10.

Adelegan explained that the twenty percent increase was as a result of the high cost of baking materials.

Many members of the association said they have stopped producing bread due to the high cost of baking materials and multiple taxations in Port Harcourt.

Based on the new price increment, a loaf of bread that was initially sold for N250 now sells for N300 while the bigger loaf which currently sells for N400 will now sell for N450.

A baker complained that the prices of baking materials like sugar, butter, preservatives, flavours, flour and others have gone up.

An investigation carried out in Port Harcourt showed that besides bread, the prices of other snacks like meat pie, sausage roll, small chops and others have also gone up.

A bread consumer, Mrs Felicia Ihunwo complained that with the hike in the prices of bread and the byproducts of flour, consumers are finding it difficult to buy bread at the new price.