“I just dey come from shop, rice one cup, N300, she manage give me N250 own say that one no too good. Now bread no dey. Where we dey go for this Naija. Very soon we no go eat again.”

These were the words of Mina Kiri, an indigene of Okrika in Rivers State, in a chat with Kristina Reports on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 in his shop at Ekerekana Community in Okrika LGA.

Checks by Kristina Reports indicate that the price of bread has increased from N150 to N170 and now to N200 at the bakery; and N170 to N200 and then to N250 in the shops, which is a 13.3% and 17.6% appreciation in the bakery prices; and 17.6% and 25% appreciation in the shop prices.

This has now made it difficult for consumers, especially, rural dwellers, to purchase bread, given that it is food mostly eaten by all because as the price changes at the bakery, the shop owners also change.

In a chat with Kristina Reports, the manager of New Edition Bakery at Ekerekana Community, Daniel Ubot disclosed that the cause of the increase in bread price is due to the increase in the price of flour, as well as other ingredients.

“We used to buy sugar about N32,500 but presently now, we are buying sugar N40,000 a bag. The best flour in the market now is N32,350. A bag of salt before is N1,500 to N3,000, now we are buying a bag of salt N27,000.”

“The cost of butter is also N27,000. Kings Oil is thirty something thousand now. So, when you check all these costs and the milk, and other things, so we need to add.”

Ubot also said that this information has been going on for some time and they also inform their clients on any new developments, revealing that their coverage is wide across the state and in most local governments, including Port Harcourt, Onne, Nonwa, and Akwa Ibom State, as well as have subsidiary firms in other states.

Reacting to this development, a petty trader in Okrika, Charity Peacemaker also disclosed that it has been very difficult as clients are not finding it easy.

“Customers are complaining, before we sell bread at N200 but now we are selling it for N250 and people are complaining. Markets are not moving, you buy something of N10 today, by tomorrow when you go it’s N20. So, you don’t know how to sell and make your money.”

She lamented that living condition of the people in the area is so high, pleading that the government should intervene.

“We are pleading that the government should bring the prices of things down because everybody is complaining. Sometimes, we don’t sell, buyers are not coming around. I hope this message will get to them, please.”

On her part, Iyaye Tamunokuro, a native of Ibuluya Dikibo Community, expressed her displeasure over the increase in the prices of food items.

“I don’t like the way prices of food is going high. So, the government should make things come down to the normal, before we buy this bread N100, then N150, then N200, now it’s N250; and this increase is steady.”