The cost of bread in Kogi State is set to rise as local bakers have concluded their four-day strike, marking the end of their protest against the soaring prices of flour, sugar, and fuel which have adversely impacted bread production and distribution.
The strike, which commenced last Tuesday in Lokoja, was a direct response to the harsh economic conditions affecting the bakery industry in the state.
The Chairman of the Kogi Bakers Association, Gabriel Bamidele, announced on Saturday that the strike had been called off.
However, he also revealed that this resumption of bread production comes with a price increase across all categories and sizes of bread.
The decision to hike prices reflects the bakers’ struggle to cope with the rising costs of essential ingredients and fuel, factors critical to their operations.
He said, “As an association, we have resolved that the first three small categories/sizes of bread will attract only a N50 increment. The bigger ones will attract a N100 increment.
“This means a bread that was sold for N100, N200 and N250 will now cost N150, N250 and N300.
“Also the big ones that used to cost N800, N1,000, N1,200 and N1,400 will now cost N900, N1,100, N1,300 and N1,500 in the market.
“These increments became imperative given the high cost of flour, sugar, petrol, and engine oil in the country today.
“We hope that the public will understand our plights and cooperate with us to keep us afloat in business.”
The chairman explained that three months back, a bag of flour cost between N38,000 and N40,000 while a bag of sugar cost between N58,000 and N60,000.
Today a bag of flour is N58,000, while that of sugar is N85,000.
He added, “The cost of distribution is another. This is coupled with the increase in prices of engine oil, whose carton rose from N35,000 to N62,000.
“A car tyre that used to cost N18,000 is now N40,000. This aside the cost of petrol, which is between N650 and N700 per litre at the filling stations.”
He noted that bakers now spent between N28,000 and N30,000 to distribute their bread across the state. The bakers’ leader said it used to cost N5,000.
He said, “We all go to the same market. So are very much aware of how costly things are due to the economic hardship in the country.”
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