MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino-Chinese Bakery Association said Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy Pandesal, among the cheapest brands of bread available in the country, may soon be phased out if a proposed increase in tariff forces local importers to stop buying Turkish flour.
Association President Benito Lim said the Department of Agriculture's (DA) plan to slap a 20-percent tariff increase in Turkish flour may cause both breads to disappear in the next few months.
"We have no leverage," Lim said, adding that bread manufacturers have no control over flour imports, which may lead to consumers being left with a higher price of bread.
He said an increase of P1 to P2 may be expected in loaf bread and pandesal next month if the country decides to stop importing Turkish flour.
Ernesto Chua, Filipino-Chinese Business Council chair, said members of the group are considering not buying Turkish flour starting September.
He added that the group has also asked DA to stop hearings on the tariff increase until January next year since the demand for bread becomes high in September to December.
Philippine Association of Flour Millers Inc. Executive Director Ric Pinca said importers should resort to local flour as its quality is equal to imported flour, and it also favors local workers.
DA Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said in a press briefing following the National Price Coordinating Council meeting on Thursday that the department is now evaluating the concerns submitted by stakeholders and it will take a month before the evaluation will be forwarded to the Tariff Commission.