Bread price hikes on the horizon in all provinces

Halil İbrahim Balcı, President of the Turkish Bakers Federation, made an assessment regarding bread prices.

Stating that there will be no price change this month for bread, which is sold at 50 liras per kilogram, Balcı signaled that hikes may come in the following months. Balcı said, "Our goal is to keep going as long as we can without increasing the price of bread, a staple food item, but if the work we are doing does not yield results, it means that this will have a serious impact on bread prices in the period after this month."

'IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT'

Turkish Bakers Federation President Balcı stated that no change in bread prices is foreseen for this month, using the expression, "If the work we are doing does not yield results, it means that this will have a serious impact on bread prices in the period after this month."

Balcı, who is also the Vice President of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), said at a press conference held at the Federation Headquarters that the increase in flour and input prices over the last month has put pressure on bakers.

Expressing that these increases make a rise in bread prices inevitable, Balcı said, "We have carried out the necessary work with the relevant institutions regarding what should be done about these increases. We have ongoing work with our Ministry of Trade and our Ministry of Treasury and Finance."

CALL FOR MEASURES

Balcı reported that the harvest this year was higher than ever, with 14.5 million tons of bread wheat and 12 million tons of wheat used for bread flour harvested. Stating that although the harvest was low in terms of quality this year, the price in certain regions has risen because the product in those regions was of high quality and at the desired level, Balcı emphasized that measures should be taken in this regard.

'THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE THIS MONTH'

Pointing out that if the increases continue, the price of bread will cease to be reasonable, Balcı spoke as follows:

"If bread is sold at 50 liras per kilogram today, it is not possible to maintain this price at 65 liras. This means it will reflect negatively on bread. Our tradesmen have shown the necessary self-sacrifice until today. I would like to state that there will be no price change this month for bread, which is sold at 50 liras per kilogram."

'INSTITUTIONS MUST DO THEIR PART'

Balcı noted the following:

"If these negative conditions continue, their reflection on bread will also cease to be normal. The reflection on bread has always been in the 20-25 percent band. Efforts should be made not to exceed the 25 percent band along with the minimum wage. Work should be done on this. Institutions must do their part. We have been meeting with our Ministry of Trade every day for 1 month regarding this issue. We met with our Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek. Our goal is to keep going as long as we can without increasing the price of bread, a staple food item. In summary, bread prices are sold at 50 liras per kilogram for this month, and it will continue to be sold at this price, but if the work we are doing does not yield results, it means that this will have a serious impact on bread prices in the period after this month."

News Source: 12punto