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Faced with supply problems caused by the war in Ukraine, the price of this staple food for the most modest is rising sharply. A subject of concern for many countries which are considering unprecedented measures.
The subject seems trivial but it represents a major issue for millions of people. At less than twenty cents per package on average, instant noodles had been a staple food for several decades in Southeast Asia, especially for the most modest. But the war in Ukraine could, as in many other sectors, be a game-changer. The country, one of the main granaries of the planet, is struggling to resume its exports. To the point that some states are currently considering emergency measures, unprecedented for more than a decade.
The increase in production costs – energy, transport, flour, oil – leads to higher prices for this pasta in countries where these are set by the market, and to difficulties for producers when the States regulate the prices. China, the biggest consumer of instant noodles in the world with 49 billion packets sold each year, is in the front line. In June, the price of refined wheat flour – the main ingredient in making noodles – had risen 10% in the country since January, according to data from Mysteel,…
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