Will there be a price hike for bread?

Turkish Bakers Federation President Halil İbrahim Balcı said that there has been a significant increase in flour prices due to the wheat production and quality in the country.

Stating that the price of a sack of flour purchased before the beginning of October was 630 liras and that this price rose to the 820-lira band within that month, Balcı said, "We stated that since increases have occurred not only in flour but also in other inputs for bread, the relevant ministries should bring the sector together for a meeting and that there would be no price change within this month."

Balcı stated that they held a meeting with Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat and voiced the sector's problems, noting the following:

"They listened to the flour industrialists after us. In the meeting held with the flour industry sector, hosted by our Minister of Trade and attended by our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı and ministry officials, they decided to pull the flour price, which was 820 liras, down to the 720-lira and 760-lira band. They expressed this to us as well. I would like to thank our flour industrialists here. Just as our baker tradesmen have taken responsibility until today regarding bread, which is the staple food of the public, and have always tried to reflect this at the lowest level, especially regarding price, the work done today has shown that. In other words, rather than working by saying 'The price of flour has become 820 liras, therefore the reflection of this on bread is this much, and this will be the bread price,' a solution-oriented approach was taken to the problem."

Emphasizing that they have initiatives not only regarding bread but also regarding the problems of the sector, Balcı expressed that the relevant ministries have shown the necessary sensitivity in this regard as well.

Drawing attention to the fact that they must ensure food safety from the field to the table, especially in bread, Balcı explained that if the sale of bread on the street, in front of mosques, or in marketplaces is permitted, it would eliminate the reliability of the product.

Pointing out that their first priority is to produce quality bread in a healthy and hygienic environment, Balcı spoke as follows:

"We held a meeting with our presidents who came here from many provinces of Turkey. With the flour price coming down from the 820-lira band to the 720-760 lira band, our baker tradesmen are showing the necessary self-sacrifice this time as they always do. We had stated that the price per kilogram of bread would not exceed 50 liras across Turkey until the end of this month. There is no question of a price change in bread until the end of December, until a new price is determined along with the minimum wage."

Stating that practices outside of these prices fall under exorbitant pricing, Balcı warned that the penalties for this are very severe.

Expressing that they do not want any tradesman to be aggrieved, Balcı said, "I do not believe that any of our tradesmen would resort to this. I hope that the flour industrialists who show this sincerity with us will continue this until the end of the year."

Drawing attention to the fact that everyone should sacrifice from their profits until the end of the year, Balcı noted the following:

"Because it is a staple food, we are very sensitive about the price of bread. Whatever was necessary regarding the price, both we and the ministries have done it. We continue to show this sensitivity. Just as we have acted sensitively until today regarding the increase to be made at the end of the year being reasonable, we will continue to do so, and I hope our public will understand us."