DTI won’t facilitate gov’t-to-gov’t flour trade
Despite a directive from President Arroyo to help local manufacturers deal with the increasing costs of raw materials, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said they will not facilitate any government-to-government flour trade.
“There will be no government-to-government flour importation but the millers can still buy it overseas. They just have to pay the price which is a little high,” Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila told The STAR.
In an interview, Favila said there are no more moves by the government after
Last April, Favila said he has received communication from his Chinese counterpart denying the country’s request for an allocation of around 200,000 metric ton of milling wheat.
This is equivalent to 10 percent of the country’s total annual wheat consumption.
“I am saddened that
The supply of flour in the global market is dwindling. The global demand is at 600 million metric tons while the supply is only 87 million metric tons.
Earlier, local flour millers led by Ric M. Pinca, executive director of the Flour Millers Association warned of an increase in the price of pandesal and other bread products unless the government helps mitigate the cost of rising flour.
“The government should put in place plans to mitigate the effects of the worldwide increase in the cost of wheat and other food grains on local consumers,” Pinca said.
Meanwhile, the price of pandesal is expected to remain the same until the middle of July as flour millers assured the public that they will not increase their price until mid next month.
“There will be no price increases this month and we hope it will continue until next month but we cannot be sure. We can only say that there will be no adjustment until the first two weeks of July,” Pinca said.
According to Pinca, the price of wheat continues to fluctuate in the world market. He said the last time they adjusted their price was in April.
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