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Reduce bread loaf weight to reduce price: All Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association

02 Dec 2021

  • Bakery owners to request Govt.
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The All Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association (ACBOA) has pointed out that if the Government takes steps to amend the legal provisions to reduce the weight of a loaf of bread to a certain extent, there is a possibility of comparatively reducing the price of bread. Speaking to The Morning, ACBOA President N.K. Jayawardena said that the price of a loaf of bread could be reduced if the legal provisions could be amended, thereby enabling to reduce the weight of bread to a certain amount. Claiming that there is a long process for such an amendment to be made, he assured that if the Government can take the necessary steps and implement it, the price of bread can be brought down. Jayawardena further said that while no request has been made to the Government and the other relevant authorities in this regard at present, the ACBOA would, however, make a request to the relevant institutions in this regard after further study on the matter. Attempts to contact Co-operative Services, Marketing Development, and Consumer Protection State Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra to inquire whether the Co-operative Services, Marketing Development, and Consumer Protection State Ministry would consider bringing in such an amendment, proved futile. Following Serendib Flour Mills (Pvt.) Ltd. and Prima Ceylon (Pvt.) Ltd. increasing the price of a kilogramme (kg) of wheat flour by Rs. 17.50, the ACBOA increased the price of a loaf of bread, which was increased by Rs. 5 in October 2021, by Rs. 10 with effect from Monday (29 November). Speaking to the media last Sunday (28 November), Jayawardena stated that the price of bread had to be increased reluctantly due to the increase in the prices of wheat flour and gas. He also said: “The two main wheat flour companies have increased the price of a kilogramme of wheat flour by Rs. 17.50. Never in the history of Sri Lanka has there been such a huge increase in price. In this situation, the price of a loaf of bread should be at least Rs. 100. But with the customers in mind, we increased the price by only Rs. 10.” Following repeated requests from the companies, the Government last month decided to remove the control prices imposed on milk powder, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), wheat flour, and cement.  


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