Bakers have hiked the price of bread for the seventh time
this year by 2,7 percent from $14,75 to $18,45 for a standard loaf.
The new prices are applicable to Baker’s Inn and Lobels
bread only, while prices for Proton bread have remained unchanged.
National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe (NBAZ) chairperson
Mr Dennis Wala could not be drawn into commenting, saying he was in a meeting
for the better part of the day.
The Confederation of Retailers Association of Zimbabwe
chief executive Mr Denford Mutashu said the continuous increase in bread prices
was worrying. He called on Government to intervene to come up with a solution
to contain the increases.
“As Retailers Association, we are really concerned about
the continued rise of bread price in the wake of production constraints and
constrained foreign currency supply,” said Mr Mutashu.
“It is very disheartening that bread prices are
continuously going up. I think what needs to be done is for government to
intervene, they need to sit down with bakers, millers and importers of wheat in
order to find ways to contain these bread price increases.”
Mr Mutashu said there was need for a universal approach to
ensure that both consumers and bakers were sustained.
“There is need for a holistic approach because we cannot
just say that bakers should reduce bread prices, yet they are incurring costs
that need to be covered,” he said.
Mr Mutashu said mealie-meal prices should now come down
following President Mnangagwa’s directive that the subsidy of maize should be
restored.
President Mnangagwa said basic goods should be cheap so
that everyone could afford them.
“I want to say this here, the issue of mealie-meal affects
a lot of people and we cannot remove the subsidy,” he said.
“So, I am restoring it so that the price of mealie-meal is
also reduced. “We have a cheap food policy that we are creating to ensure that
basic foods are affordable.” Chronicle
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