A shortage of bread looms in the Ashanti Region as the regional branch of the Ghana National Flour Users Association plans to strike on 13 and 14 March 2019.
They have also resolved to increase the price of bread and other flour products in the region.
The decision is as a result of high cost of flour and other necessities used in baking bread, President of the bakers association, Comfort Akotua told otecnews in an interview.
She said flour and other products used in baking bread have been increased about five times within this month, which is making them run at a loss.
A bag of flour which was sold at GHS120, she said, is now sold at GHS165, adding that the price of sugar has also been increased from GHS140 to GHS185.
The price of bread, she noted, will go up from Thursday, 14 March 2019.
Madam Akotua disclosed that a loaf of bread, which currently sells at GHS2 will be GHS3.
Speaking to OTEC news reporter Isaac Nsiah Foster one of the bread bakers at Asawasi C-Line Nana Efua Edwokuwaa stressed they have experienced over 20% increment on a bag of flour within a period of three months.
According to Nana Efua Edwokuwaa who doubled as Asawasi Nkosuohemaa disclosed almost every item use in bread baking has been increased.
Mentioning of salt, sugar, fire woods and the major item use in bread baking which is the flour.
She further explains an attempt to avoid the recent increment will collapse the bread baking industry.
She however appeal to government to support bread baking associations such as cooperative union in charge of flour distributions by reducing taxes on the import duties so they can also buy the flour at affordable prices from them.
“We were not even consulted before the increment on the flour which is the major item in bread baking, meanwhile fire woods, sugar and salt have gone up, so we have to increase our own else we will be running at a lost” Nana Efua Edwokuwaa revealed.
The retailers are also raising concerns about the recent increment on bread prices mentioning of challenges they will be facing with the consumers of bread.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com
