Singapore Raises Noodle Prices

Singapore (AHN) - The worldwide shortage of wheat that has driven up the price of bread around the world is now driving up the price of noodles in Singapore.

Starting Nov. 1, the price of noodles in will increase 20 percent to 30 per cent, the Singapore Noodles Manufacturers' Association announced on Sunday.

This means raising prices by 20 Singapore cents (13 cents) to 30 Singapore cents (20 cents) per kilogram (35.27 ounces) depending on the type of noodle.

Members can decide whether to raise prices, or how much to raise them, Phua Koon Heng, the association's chief, told the Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao.

The rise in noodle prices was expected, following an increase in the price of bread last week. Both commodities are highly influenced by the price of flour, which has increased in price recently because of a worldwide shortage in the supply of wheat.

The price hike was a last resort to cope with the dramatic rise in the cost burden, the association said. On average, the cost of raw materials has gone up by a third.

Hawkers said they were not increasing prices for now, the Straits Times (Singapore) reported. And there are no plans to raise the price of noodle dishes.

The rise in wholesale noodle price was "marginal," said Seah Seng Choon, executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore. "We will expect hawkers who are using the noodles to refrain from taking advantage of this increase in cost to up the price."

A staple of this predominantly Chinese city state, noodles generate retail value sales of almost 50 million Singapore dollars ($34 million).