The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria in Lagos State has expressed deep concern over the continuous rise in flour prices across the country.
This issue was brought to light during a protest organized by the association on Wednesday.
During the protest, the association’s chairman, Chief Ayoola Mathew, spoke to journalists, highlighting that despite the recent government approval of a duty-free importation waiver for wheat, maize, and other commodities, the price of flour has continued to climb.
Ayoola voiced his frustration with Nigerian millers, who have failed to implement the waiver, resulting in higher flour prices and significant challenges for bakery operations.
“In July, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced a 150-day duty-free period to allow the importation of wheat, maize, and husked brown rice, starting from August 1, 2024, as part of efforts to curb rising food inflation nationwide. The government’s intention was to reduce food prices, making essential items more affordable and accessible to the public.
“As members of the Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, we appreciate the Federal Government’s initiative to combat food inflation. However, it is disheartening to see that Nigerian millers have not reflected this relief in their pricing,” Ayoola said.
He further explained that the association’s investigations revealed that some millers had disregarded the waiver and continued to inflate flour prices.
The association emphasized that this behavior undermines the government’s efforts to ease the burden on Nigerians and poses a serious threat to the baking industry.
“It’s an act of exploiting innocent Nigerians. Instead of heeding our call for price reduction, the millers advised us to increase the price of bread, thereby adding to the suffering of the common man, which is a cruel response.
“This constant rise in flour prices by millers has made it impossible for bakeries to operate efficiently, leading to the closure of many bakeries and the loss of jobs. When basic necessities become scarce, lives are endangered. Nigerians are struggling daily due to a lack of essential goods, and bread is one of those essentials. The pressure from flour millers is causing unnecessary hardship,” he added.
Matthew pointed out that the price of flour has surged to N67,000 per bag, up from N8,000 a decade ago, making it increasingly difficult for bakeries to produce affordable bread.
The association is now calling on the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment to urgently address the escalating flour price crisis.
They also urged the government to investigate the practices of Nigerian millers and sugar producers, assess their pricing strategies, and enforce price reductions to mitigate the impact of hunger on the population.
In addition to demanding lower prices for sugar, flour, and other baking ingredients, the association called for better distribution and accessibility of these commodities to bakers.
The association proposed that flour prices be reduced to a range of N30,000 to N35,000 per bag and urged the government to implement strict monitoring and sanctions for non-compliance.
The bakers warned that if bakeries continue to shut down due to high production costs, it will worsen hunger and unemployment, underscoring the need for immediate government action to enforce the waiver and lower food prices.
“We propose a reduced flour price range of between N30,000 and N35,000 per bag. We also demand a surplus in the distribution and accessibility of commodities to bakers. We urge the Federal Government to take decisive actions to ensure that the waivers on wheat importations are enforced and that the millers comply with the intended purpose of reducing the cost of flour and sugar. The Federal Government waiver should reflect the cost of food items bought,” he concluded.
Source: Punch
