DTI asks flour millers for discounts to avert 'Pinoy tasty' price hike

Authorities appealed to flour millers Wednesday to provide discounts to makers of the "Pinoy Tasty" loaf bread to head off possible price hikes of the product. Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya hinted moves are underway to convince the millers to give leeway to producers of the affordable loaf bread. "Yung ating inaapela, sana ay magkaroon ng kaunting tulong dito ang mga flour millers ay magbigay ng discount sa panadero para ang 'Pinoy Tasty' hindi tumaas muna. Pinag-uusapan pa ito at sana magawan ng paraan," she said in an interview on dzBB radio. However, she did not elaborate on the moves being made. Maglaya said prices of wheat went down slightly but has gone up again last April. In the meantime, she said the Department of Trade and Industry will continue to keep tabs on prices of wheat. "Tumaas uli noong April pero di malaki ang pagtaas, parang bumalik sa level noong February. Binabantayan nating mabuti ito (Prices of wheat went up again in April but the price hike was not too high. We are keeping close watch on the prices)," she said. A P1 price hike looms for the “Pinoy Tasty" loaf bread, which may cost P39 effective May 9. Philippine Baking Industry Group president Walter Co said bakers had already delayed increasing prices but can no longer absorb the continuing rise in flour prices. — LBG, GMA News