Bakers and caterers in Lagos State have reduced the sizes of their products to survive the prevailing high cost of production.
The bakers and caterers made the disclosure in separate interviews with the NANon Wednesday in Lagos.
They noted that the current rate of the naira to the dollar and scarcity of fuel had impacted negatively on their costs of production.
The President, Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria (AMBCN), Mr Jacob Adejorin, stated sales were low due to scarcity of fuel for distribution of products.
reports that the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachukwu, stated on Tuesday in Abuja, that the present fuel scarcity would end within days.
also reports that at the parallel market, a dollar exchanged for N305, up from the official N199 on Wednesday.
Adejorin told that the prices of bread had increased, while the sizes had also reduced due to high cost of production.
“Since the increase in exchange rate, things have been hard for bakers.
“The cost of production has increased tremendously due to the high cost of importation of flour and other additives in bread and confectionaries.
“We are merely surviving. The cost of flour had increased from N6,000 to about N9,500 per bag.
“Recently, bakers have been forced to reduce the quantity of the bread and pastries, leaving customers to complain.
“As a result, there are reports of unsold by members of the association.
“If people are unable to afford bread and pastries, I wonder what they will be eating,’’ he told .
Also speaking with , the President, Lagos State Caterers and Decorators Association, Mrs Clementina Oladipo, stated that fuel scarcity had made business difficult.
She stated that poor electricity supply had also worsened the situation as members relied on power for production.
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