Africa-Press – Angola. Bakeries in the city of Ondjiva, capital of the province of Cunene, have raised the price of bread since Monday, with a 60-gram carcass going from 40 to 50 to 60 kwanzas, under the allegation of the rise in the cost of wheat flour in the local market.
Speaking this Thursday, traders claim that the measure is a response to the rise in the price of raw materials, especially a 50 kg bag of wheat flour which went from 17 to 36 thousand kwnzas in the last three months..
They also pointed out that the increase is due to the change in the price of yeast, now at two thousand kz compared to the previous 800 kz, a 25 kg bag of salt went from one thousand and 200 to five thousand Kwanzas, vegetable oil went from 14 thousand to 33 thousand kwanzas per box, as well as energy, water and personnel costs.
At the Marinela bakery, bread is being sold for 60 kwanzas, compared to the previous 45, as manager João dos Santos informed.
He said that, in less than four days, the price charged for purchasing a 50 kg bag of flour went from 30 thousand to 36 thousand kwanzas.
This evolution, he continued, is making the finances of bakeries unviable, taking into account production costs, salary payments and taxes.
Those responsible for the Confiança bakery, Malanga Leivo and Felicidade dos Santos from MWSP, are selling bread at 50 kwanzas, but with a tendency to increase it to 75 kwanzas, depending on the variation in raw material acquisition prices.
They highlighted that the price of kz 40 was established at a time when the bag was sold at a value of 19 to 20 thousand kwanzas, and currently the cost does not correspond to the charges and benefits of bakery companies.
They also explained that the scarcity of flour on the national market makes it impossible for bakeries to purchase large quantities of the product, and, in order not to paralyze their activity, they are forced to turn to the parallel market.
José Kitengue from Macrop bakery, made it known that the price of bread remains stable (kz 45), due to the existing stock of wheat flour, purchased in the country’s capital (Luanda), where costs are relatively lower compared to the local market.
For his part, the director of the Integrated Economic Development office in Cunene, Felisberto Hisimongula, said that the institution will carry out work with suppliers and affiliates of the bakery industries, in order to find a joint decision on the problem.
He clarified that the meeting will be preceded by technical work by the National Authority for Economic Inspection and Food Safety (ANIESA) team, in order to determine the extent to which the rise in the price of bread violates legislation.
Data from the Provincial Office for Integrated Economic Development in Cunene indicate the existence of more than 50 bakeries, the majority operating in the city of Ondjiva.
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