Vincentians paying more for flour

Vincentians now have to pay more for flour. The price of a sack of flour is now $75, up from $65 wholesale, while the ex-factory price is $68.{{more}}

A representative from the Ministry of Trade told SEARCHLIGHT that these prices would only apply to white flour, which is the only flour product that is price controlled.

Bakers, however, are not allowed to raise the price of their bread and other pastry products ,seeing that Cabinet has not given them the authority to do so.

An operator of a small bakery, Harvy Derrick, told SEARCHLIGHT that since the increase in the price of the flour, bread sales have decreased tremendously, and he is trying his best to try to solve this problem.

“They should have informed the nation and get their feedback,” Derrick stated.

Derrick, who officially started his business earlier in this year, said that there was no press conference to inform the nation about the increase in prices, and the bakers were not told that there was going to be an increase.

According to Derrick, the $10 increase is too much, all at once, and government should have increased the price gradually over a period of time. He also said that he does not think that bread should be price controlled.

He, however, stated that the bakers should have said something when the Value Added Tax (VAT) was introduced, given the fact that there are ingredients that are used for making bread that are subject to VAT.

The increase took effect on September 1, and the price of bread remains at $1.15 for five. (SB)