SOME bakeries in Lusaka have increased their prices of bread despite President Sata’s appeal in October to bakers not to go ahead.
A Daily Mail survey around some parts of Lusaka revealed that some bakeries in Garden compound, Northmead and Kabwata area have increased by K200 to K500 respectively.
The some bakers who declined to be named attributed the increase to the high cost of doing business while others said they will also adjust their prices upwards next week.
In Kabwata a loaf of Family bread which used to cost K5,000 will now cost K5,900, Standard bread will cost K4,900 from K4,000 while bread rolls will sell at K5,500 from K5,000.
A notice at one bakery stated that the increase has been necessitated by increasing input cost.
“This serves to inform you that bread prices have been adjusted upwards with immediate effect. This has been necessitated by ever increasing input cost,” it read.
In Garden compound bakeries are expecting to increase by K200 and this has been received with shock.
Gideon Manda, a resident of Garden Compound said the cost of living in Zambia has become too expensive adding that some people cannot afford to buy bread at current prices.
“I am shocked that bread has become too expensive now, we as parents will not be able to provide a decent breakfast meal for our children because most of our children depend on bread, “he said.
Another resident Kelly Chileshe said they unjustifiably trying to hike prices in a bid to make a killing because of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Agnes Nkoma, a Kabwata township resident, called on Government to intervene in the matter and ensure that prices of bread are stabilised in order to reduce the cost of leaving which she described as expensive.
“Some of us are not employed, we cannot afford to buy bread anymore and this is what we consume almost everyday. We will be very glad if government consider reducing the price, “she said.
Meanwhile Zambia Consumers Association executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga says consumables such as bread are expensive for the majority of Zambians adding that Government should ensure that the cost of living in the country is reduced if poverty levels are to reduce in the country.
Mr Ililonga said the reason being advanced by millers for the increase in the price of bread is not substantiated.
He said some millers have attributed the increase in the price of bread by K500 to the weakening Kwacha against the US dollar.
Government recently authorised the importation of 20,000 of wheat and 5,000 tonnes of wheat flour to supplement the current shortfall of 60,000 tonnes of wheat.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Defy him. Now that Zambians have false more money in their pockets, they shouldn’t worry about the increase cobra has put more oney in their pockets in 90 days. Shop owners should also defy LCC by not paying taxes because of street venting encouraged by cobra.
Can this President let the laws of Demand and Supply do the work.Govt interference leads to inefficiency and Market Equilibrium cant be attained leading to shortages (of bread) and loss of employment cos why should Bakers produce at a loss? And who is going to have more money his his pockets in this situation?
if the cost of production has indeed gone up then the bakers have a justified reason for increasing the price of bread. Not even poorly thought presidential directives can prevent this law of economics- its inevitable.
Bring back Supaloaf!
With all the land and water that this country has, we are failing to grow enough. We must be ashamed of ourselves!
These bakery owners are tempting HE MCS to bring back SUPERLOAF
its simple…Principles of Economics pa fresher mu University…the forces of supply and demand….
Yeah! Zambians should learn a lesson for electing an ignorant government in the 21st century. This is just a tip of what is to come. I guess Zambians will now learn the difference between smart leadership and rhetoric/populist leadership.
Bring back price controllers?
Empty words don’t make any impact in modern world. What systems did the PF government put in place to keep the prices down? NONE at all & they think economies just run on miracles just because someone says so!
Bo LT, headline ‘…..defy Presidential directive…’ Opening paragraph … despite President Sata’s appeal in October to bakers not to go ahead….’. Did the President issue a directive or appealed to the bakers. Do not mislead the bloggers. That is why bloggers post wrongly especially those of us who only look at headlines and then comment
Zambia is a free market. Price your product at the level that covers your cost and leaves you with profits. No one not even a mad person should stop you from increasing or lowering the price of your products. Its ypur legal and democratic right.
Cheers bakers
#5. Especially luapulans-laziest but swift in crukedness.
@11 Stingy Ndatana. Sata indeed had as his usual self ‘Ordered’ that bread prices be not increased! It is an oxymoron to use ‘Sata and appeal’ in a single sentence. That is not the way the snake operates. Sata only knows how to ‘order’ ‘demand’ ‘instruct’ ‘direct’ etc. The man is a police commander! Full stop!
Since sata wants to serve the resources of this nation,let him fire the IG and take up the position as he seems to be more efficient than Malama,the he should forfeit the presi salary,and allow himself to be paid the IG salary.