By Nelson Manneh
Officers of the Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment, yesterday July 2nd 2018, concluded that Bread will be sold at six dalasi (D 6.00) throughout the country.
After long negotiations between them and the Bakers Associations, the office of the Trade Ministry indicate that they were not convinced by the Bakers Association as to the data they have collected from different Bakeries across the country.
Abdoulie Jammeh, the Director of Trade at the said Ministry indicate that they have met different Bakers and that according to the data they have collected and analysed, the average price of a loaf of bread should cost only D6.00.
“We have met Bakers who use electricity, some generators and others both electricity and generator. But if all their expenditures are analysed together, the average price of bread should cost nothing more than D6.00,” he told reporters; that their concern is to put a fix price on bread all over the country; a price that will be favourable to both consumers and producers.
Samba Gaye, the president of the Local Bakers Association said his concern is on the ‘Tapalapa’ bread; that they sometimes find it difficult to fit in the market and that if a loaf is to be sold at D6.00, it will be extra difficult for them. He urged the Ministry and Government to consider them; that they struggle like others to make ends meet.
The president of the ‘Sen Four’ Association said the price of flour keeps fluctuating; that this does not favour them; that within a month, the price of flour rose more than D100.00; that if bread is to be sold at D6.00, they will be working without making any profit.
Readers could recall that Bakers in the country, held on a sit-down strike when the Ministry of Trade passed a press release that a loaf of bread should be sold at D6.00.
Bakers’ Associations were called to the negotiating table on Friday June 29th, but could not come to an agreement. The negotiation was later adjourned to yesterday Monday, and after a long debate between Baker’s Associations and Government, the D6.00 price for a loaf of bread, was announced by Officers from the Ministry of Trade.
