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By Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, Reporter
IN a bid to address the scarce supply of wheat
and flour products worldwide, the government has backed the private
sector’s proposal to use coconut flour as substitute ingredient in
making pan de sal.
Since last year the price of flour has risen,
with hard flour currently at P670 to P880 and soft flour at P670 to
P780.
“The government supports such proposal.
In fact, [we] will conduct a meeting with coconut growers and flour
millers to come up with the best way to develop this new venture,”
Trade Sec. Peter B. Favila said.
Citing discussions with flour millers, Favila
said coconut flour is at par with wheat in terms of nutritional
value. “I haven’t tried it yet, but bakers assure it makes good
pan de sal,” he said.
“The only problem is coconut flour could not
be used for other kinds of breads,” he added.
Favila said the Department of Trade and Industry
will support a massive program that will focus on developing this
new endeavor, including training and seminars in using coconut as an
alternative flour.
He said a Philippine request to China for a
bigger allocation of flour this year has yet to be approved. Manila
is asking Beijing for 150 metric tons or an increment of 10 percent
over recent volumes. “The [Chinese] Ambassador and I are set to
meet before the month ends, and that [I] will ask him to finally
accommodate [our] request,” he said.
Local bakers warned they would raise their
prices in the coming months given the increasing price of wheat in
the world market.
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