The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN) have threatened to embark on a two weeks strike from June 13th following the continuous hike in the prices of baking materials.
Driving the news
The group of bread bakers and caterers in a communique signed by the national president, Mansur Umar, said a strike action is imminent if the federal government doesn’t take regulatory steps.
What they are saying
The communique listed AMBCN grievances against the federal government, including the highest prices of baking materials such as sugar and flour, huge levies on bakers, failed attempts to reach concerned ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), among others.
What you should know
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised the cost of commodities, including wheat, fertilizer, gas, etc. Between January and September 2021, Nigeria imported N124 billion worth of wheat from Russia.
- As bread makers and caterers make their foods from wheat, the cost of operation has also risen over the last few months.
- According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics, the price of a 500g sliced bread rose from N331.76 in March 2021 to N447.80 in March 2022. While 500g unsliced bread rose from N310.73 in March 2021 to N411.73 in March 2022.
- A bag of flour in Nigeria which was averagely sold for N11,000 in 2021 is now sold for N26,000 in June 2022.
- The May report showed that food inflation in Africa’s largest economy rose to 19.5%, an upward change from 18.37% in April 2022. This rise was due to increases in the prices of foods such as bread, meat, yam, bread, oils, etc.