Bread bakers, under the auspices of the Premium BreadMakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN) have charged government at all levels to evolve plans to increase local wheat production capacity rather than relying largely on imports, which are harming the country’s economy.
This year alone, the country has seen a four-fold increase in bread prices, owing in part to scarcity in the wheat value chain around the world as a result of the Russia-Ukraine situation.
In response, president of PBAN, Mr. Emmanuel Onuorah, noted that, as a country, “we must begin to seek internal solutions for our sustenance in wheat production because the bread business has suffered greatly as a result of this.
“Many bakeries were closed between August and December of this year, which is a difficult situation. Capacity has also decreased by 70 per cent, while wheat has increased by N3,000, salt has climbed, ascorbic acid has increased, and even calcium propionate, a preservative used in bread, has increased.”
