Miller Magazine Issue: 120 December 2019

47 COVER STORY MILLER / DECEMBER 2019 Rise in urban and modern lifestyle has increased the demand for various types of flours. Factors such as population growth, increasing disposable incomes, rising consumption of bakery products and changing lifestyles have further added to the global demand for flour. According to the Interna- tional Grains Council, cross-border flour trade will reach a total of 15 million 880 thousand tons in 2019/20 season, with an increase of 1 percent. Flour is one of the oldest and most effective forms of food known to man- kind. It makes up a significant percentage of energy intake globally. Flour is a staple that serves as an excellent source of energy for people around the world, though the source and form of the flour may vary across regions. Wheat, maize, and rice serve as the most common sources of flour though the production of wheat flour remains the highest. Flour is a relatively econom- ical solution to significant proportions of the world‘s population as compared to other staples. Flour forms an inevitable part of the modern-day processed food segment. It is the basis of most baked goods, snacks, extruded prod- ucts such as noodles, pasta, and wafers – products that occupy a major portion of the retail shelf. Flour – wheat and maize, primarily, but also local varieties depending on regional crops – is one of the most widely distributed and consumed staple food products. In fact, more than 600 million metric tons of wheat and maize flours are milled annually and consumed as noodles, bread, pasta, and other flour products worldwide. In our last issue for 2019, we want to give you an insight into the world flour market and trade. The International Grains Council (IGC), the only international WORLD FLOUR MARKET AND TRADE