Flour supplies are reported to be back to normal in Tongatapu, after wholesalers ran short early this month, said one of the island’s major bakers. Shipping cancellations and delays had contributed to a short supply of flour.

Concerns were raised by café owners and other retail businesses impacted by a shortage in the production of specialty loaves, while white bread production slowed, causing queues for bread.

However, local importers have confirmed that flour is on the market today, 20 May.

Bakers

Alfred Cowley, owner of A. Cowley & Sons Ltd., an importer that also runs the Cowley bakery chain, said there are a number of other local and Chinese wholesalers importing flour. He said when there is a shortage and wholesalers are failing to import flour for whatever reason, they tend to point the finger at him.

“In our case we had enough flour for our baking for what we had forecast for the period of April and May, plus a buffer stock in case of ship being delayed from acts of God etc. But when the other wholesalers ran short of flour, our buffer stock was used up quicker than expected,” he said today.

The bakery nominates Matson shipping as their carrier, and during the past two-months there have been delays and schedules cancelled due to one of their ships breaking down in Niue.

“This is probably the main reason flour has been delayed, through rescheduling and by-passing Fiji that supplies our flour, trying to carry back logs of cargo direct from New Zealand to Tonga. But I have been told that the ships are back to their normal schedule now and there should not be any more shortages of flour.”

Importers

Punjas (Tonga) said today that they had no shortage of flour as their containers came in every-month with the latest arriving yesterday and some today.

“We already have flour in the local market,” said Iqpal the General Manager.

Other importers could not be contacted by Matangi Tonga because their phones were not answered.

The Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Labour said  the importers of flour are currently:

1. Punjas (Tonga) Ltd.
2. New Era Enterprises Ltd.
3. A. Cowley & Sons Ltd.
4. Seven Star Enterprises Ltd.
5. Hualong Enterprises Ltd.

Meanwhile, two supermarkets in the capital today confirmed they have flour on their shelves.

The flour shortage followed a sugar shortage in April.