Bakers defer bread price hikes amid devastating storm

A local group of small-scale bakeries postponed to early next year a petition to hike bread prices in consideration of the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name: Trami) in many areas of the Philippines.

Asosasyon ng Panaderong Pilipino president Lucito Chavez, whose group is composed of community bakers, told the Inquirer that it’s “untimely” to push through with an increase.

“It is not good at this time. Although if there is a need for other bakeries to increase, I appeal to them for the reason of the calamity,” Chavez said in a phone interview.

“Customarily, bakers will not make price changes to our products in times like this,” he added.

Chavez, who owns a bakery in Cuenca, Batangas, said that their area was one of the badly hit areas.

“It’s been several days that we have been making bread to contribute to the relief operations,” he said.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), at least seven provinces, including Batangas, have been placed under a “state of calamity,” prompting a 60-day price freeze to come into effect. This price control includes essential goods such as rice, corn, bread, fresh vegetables, root crops, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, coffee, sugar, cooking oil and salt.

Also included in the list are laundry soap, detergent, firewood, charcoal, candles and certain medicines classified as essential by the Department of Health.

Chavez said that they have shelved previous plans to announce after All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day the price hike petition for Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy Pandesal.

DTI’s latest suggested retail price bulletin released back in January pegged the price of a 450-gram loaf of Pinoy Tasty at P40.50, while the cost of a 10-piece pack of Pinoy Pandesal is P25. INQ