Producers Give Reasons For Increase In Bag Of Sachet Water To N220

Producers of sachet and table water have attributed the increase in the prices of a bag of the product now being sold between N220 and N250, to sharp rise in the cost of production arising from continous high exchange rate of naira to dollar  in Nigeria

Several consumers have been lamenting over the sudden increase in the prices of the bag of sachet water which they used to buy between N120 and N150 while a sachet of water was sold at N10 

The Chairman of Table Water And Beverages Producers Association of Nigeria ( TWABPAN) in Egba Zone of Ogun State, Alhaji Mutair Okanlawon Sobiye in a chat with Edu-Biznews in Abeokuta on Thursday, revealed that the cost of producing a bag of sachet water had forced many producers to shut down their production plants, leaving those still in the business with no option than to review the price upward in order to sustain production of the product

For instance, he explained that cost of refilling composite treatment plant which used to be N40,000 is now over N100,000, the big micron filter is now between N1,600 and N1,700 from the initial price of N700

According to Sobiye, a litre of diesel to power generating plant for production which used to be N220 is now between N420 and N440, a roll of nylon per kilogram for packaging of sachet water inside the bag is now being sold at N1,700 from the initial N600 while nylon for packaging of a bag of the product jumped from N1,600 to current price of N3,500 

He assured consumers of their safety, insisting that the association would clamp down on any of the water producers who compromised  on production of quality water for Nigerians 

"Consumers should be weary of substandard sachet water, those who cut corners to reduce cost of production and sell at ridiculous price below the  regulated price of N220 per bag", he cautioned

Sobiye also plead with retailers not to sell a sachet of water beyond N15, saying they should not add to burden of consumers by selling it at N20 from the initial N10  

He however promised that producers would  review the price of bag of the product downward, if the naira appreciate against the dollar in exchange market, which definitely would reduce the cost of production