Milling Journal - Q4 2008 - (Page 27) folic acid costs 15 cents per metric ton or $175,000 a year for all the flour consumed in the entire country. This case illustrates how an individual, simply by eating fortified bread, can achieve a higher earning potential. The problem associated with the disease in adult women creates an economic loss estimated at $10 billion a year, according to a study by the Micronutrient Initiative and UNICEF in 2003. The World Bank also has noted the critically important role of fortified food and good health. “The control of vitamin and mineral deficiencies is one of the most extraordinary developmentrelated scientific advances of recent years … no other technology available today offers as large an opportunity to improve lives and accelerate development at such a low cost and in such a short time.” Politics Remain a Problem Despite the proven benefits and cost effectiveness, only 55 countries have passed legislation mandating fortification of wheat flour in large roller mills, according to the FFI. “It’s one of the traditional problems,” says Venkatesh Mannar, president of the Micronutrient Initiative. “They [the millers] should be able to procure a higher price for their flour, in order to absorb the cost of the premix.” But politics often prevents that from happening. “One miller told me, ‘If I raise the price of my flour even a little bit, I’ll get a call from, the prime minister’s office the next day.’ The government doesn’t want to be held responsible for price raises in staple foods,” he said. The Answer Lies In Education Following drought, lingering financial crises, and the resulting nutritional impact on its population, Indonesia took the first steps toward wheat flour fortification by forging a coalition of members of the government, industry, academia, and general public. By 2002, with assistance from international development agencies, the country had achieved a mandatory fortification status for all wheat produced or traded in the county. The mandate confirmed the efficacy and health-related benefits of fortifying wheat flour that far outweigh the costs involved in the process This South Pacific nation has just five flour mills in the entire country, including three of the world’s largest and most modern, which made fortification feasible and easy to monitor. “It’s one of the traditional problems. They (the millers) should be able to procure a higher price for their flour, in order to absorb the cost of the pre-mix (fortification).” Venkatesh Mannar President, Micronutrient Initiative Response No. 271 MILLING JOURNAL Fourth Quarter 2008 27 http://www.millelevatorsupply.com http://www.rbhinc.com http://www.ebmmill.com http://www.millelevatorsupply.com http://www.ebmmill.com http://www.rbhinc.com
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