PAFMIL assures no flour price increase, if…

MANILA, Philippines - An organization of small flour millers petitioning for increased import duty on Turkish flour yesterday said it would not raise prices or restrict flour supply if the alleged dumping of Turkish flour in the country is addressed.

The Philippine Association of Flour Millers (PAFMIL) is petitioning the Department of Agriculture (DA) for an increase in the import duty of flour imported from Turkey to 20 percent from the current seven percent, a move that is opposed by community bakeries who claim that they would not be able to cope with increased operating costs.

Community bakers represented by the Filipino-Chinese Bakery Association (FCBA) said bakeries that cannot cope up with higher operating costs would eventually shed employees or close shop.

Small bakers also said they may have to raise prices of bread and flour-based products if a higher duty is imposed on cheap Turkish flour.

“We believe locally-produced flour has the versatility and quality local consumers desire for their bread and our prices are competitive in a trading condition,” said PAFMIL executive director Ric Pinca.

PAFMIL said that if their petition before the DA is granted, small flour millers could increase their production capacity to cope with increased demand.

“If the duty is imposed, we can increase the production capacity to meet enlarged demand,” Pinca told reporters yesterday.