Price of bread, pasta to rise 'significantly'

Wheat prices have shot up from about R1,900 (P1,577) per tonne in January last year to about R4,300(P3,569) per tonne today. Lekgoanyana says they have been trying to absorb the increasing prices but cannot afford to do so any longer. "We are gradually passing it on to the consumer," he says. "The increases have been eroding our margins."

He says as a result of these increases, the price of their flour products, as well as those for macaroni, spaghetti, biscuits and bread, are going to go up significantly. "It is going to affect the consumers' basket drastically," Lekgoanyana says.