Price Of Bread Goes Up In Calabar

Bread consumers in Calabar are now contending with increase in the price of the commodity.

The price increase which ranges between ten to twenty percent depending on the size and quality of the product is largely attributable to increase in the cost of ingredients like flour, sugar, vegetable oil, fire wood and salt.

The chairman of Master Bakers and Caterers Association in Calabar, Chief John Madu told P.M.NEWS in Calabar that between November 2010 and May 2011, the price of flour has gone up four times and this has made it increasingly difficult for the bakers to cope.

“Some six months ago, November to be precise, the cost of a bag of flour increased to N5,100, from N4,000, then to N5,500, and soon after that N6,000 and as I am talking to you now, yesterday I sent my boy to Watt Market only to discover that the price has gone up to N6,200,” he said.

Chief Madu said the cost of sugar has also gone up to N12,000 from the N6,000 it used to be some weeks ago.

“Every day, there is increase in the cost of one ingredient or the other that is why we decided to add some money to enable us stay afloat.”

The high cost of materials, the chairman declared, has led to three bakeries closing shop in Calabar because their sales could not meet the high cost of materials.

“Many bakeries have closed down but in some cases, new people come and take over the bakeries to give it a try only to discover that they are unable to cope and also fold up soon,” he said.

A bread consumer, John Etim said the increase in price is seriously affecting his consumption of bread.

“Everyday I buy bread for my kids but since last week, I alternate the days I buy bread for them,” he said.

Government, he said, should intervene before bread goes out of the reach of the average Nigerian.

—Ennanuel Una/Calabar