Bakers may be facing further pressure on the price of ingredients as a result of a nationwide drought in China.
Reports suggest that northern, eastern and central China has been experiencing its driest weather for 60 years, which is threatening water supplies.
Wheat crops are under severe threat from the lack of rain and almost half of the wheat fields in the Shandong province are suffering.
Analysts are now predicting that the price of wheat for bakers across the globe will increase further still.
Wheat values are already being pushed ever-higher by the decimation of wheat stocks caused by floods in Queensland.
An expert at China's agriculture ministry, Guo Tiancai, said that any further drought could have serious consequences for wheat stocks.
"As the temperature warms up in spring and wheat grows faster, any measures which are not in place during the period could cause big losses to the final yield … immeasurable losses," he explained.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the baking industry includes; feeders – metering screw feeders – weighing systems
