Bakers in Nigeria have suspended production to protest against soaring prices of ingredients such as flour and sugar.
According to Master Bakers Association of Nigeria (MBAN) and smaller Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN), prices of staples such as bread, maize and rice have risen since the start of this year, helping to propel inflation to its highest in more than five years in June.
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PBAN president Emmanuel Onuorah said bakeries were making losses, which was no longer sustainable. The price of a 50 kg bag of flour had risen 7.4% since June and by more than half this year to 29,000 naira ($70).Global wheat prices have risen since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, affecting countries like Nigeria that import most of their wheat. Russia and Ukraine are major wheat exporters.
The bakers association now seek the government to stop charging a 15% levy on imported wheat, and to be issued licences to import sugar. PBAN also wants its members to gain access to low interest loans from the central bank available to some small- and medium-sized businesses. MBAN said its members had stopped for a week while PBAN will suspend production from Thursday for four days.
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“We had no option than to shut down for those days to draw government attention to our plight,” said Jude Okafor, the MBAN national secretary.
