Kolkata: The West Bengal bakers' body has allowed its members to raise the price of a one-pound loaf of bread from Rs 32 to Rs 36 this month, citing a sharp rise in the input prices of flour, sugar and packaging materials.
The decision of price revision was taken at a meeting of its working committee on August 8, West Bengal Bakers' Association CEO Ariful Islam said.
"We had tried to hold back the price hike for some time, but the increase in raw material costs has left us with no choice," Islam said.
The move comes after organised bread brands had already raised prices of sliced bread by at least Rs 4 a pound earlier – from around Rs 36 to Rs 40 a pound.
The bakers are selling at the announced retail price of Rs 36 a pound and offering a 22 per cent discount to the distribution channel. If the retail price is higher than Rs 36, it amounts to malpractice in the trade, Islam said.
He pointed out that maida prices have risen by around Rs 600 per quintal in the past month, while sugar prices have increased from around Rs 40 to Rs 60 per kg. Packaging costs due to petro product inflation have also gone up sharply, adding to the pressure on bakeries, the association said.
It has given retailers a 15-day period to adjust to the revised prices. Islam said retailers often face resistance from consumers when prices are increased without public communication.
The price hike is being implemented across West Bengal, though bread sizes vary in regions. South Bengal generally sells 200-gram and 400-gram loaves, while North Bengal has variants of 175-gram and 250-gram loaves.
There are around 3,000 bakeries in the state, according to the association, which is conducting awareness programmes in districts, including Siliguri and Midnapore to communicate about the revised prices.
Islam added that there is currently no government-fixed prices for bread.
