Small biscuit firms urge govt to reduce input costs

The Indian Biscuits Manufacturer’s Association (IBMA) has appealed to the government to bring down the prices of wheat, sugar, edible oil and milk powder — the ingredients used for biscuit manufacturing.

B P Agarwal, president of the IBMA and chairman of leading biscuit maker Priyagold, also told mediapersons that “...the government should stop the export of wheat products and sugar and simultaneously import adequate quantities of the same to meet the demands of the industry, particularly in view of the deficient monsoons and drought scenario.”

Agarwal has petitioned both the Prime Minister as well as the Finance Minister, but claims that he is yet to receive any concrete assurances.

The biscuit industry is a Rs 6,000-crore market and 50 per cent of it is involved in small scale production. Agarwal added that the industry is labour-intensive and the rise in the prices of sugar and wheat has led to the closing down of 10 factories and about 7,000 people have lost their jobs in the process.

He also alleged that his plea did not have the support of bigger players in the biscuit market, like Britannia and Parle.