Selangor govt sets up division to overcome shortage of white rice

 

The agriculture and food security ministry expects the supply of local white rice to stabilise within a month.

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has set up a padi and rice regulatory division (KSPD) to overcome the shortage of white rice in the market.

Menteri besar Amirudin Shari said KSPD would address complaints regarding the shortage of white rice within 24 hours.

“If there’s a shortage in supply, just call or WhatsApp to the number 017-2230771, (and) we will supply the rice to resolve the issue,” he told reporters here today.

Amirudin said some 45,000 tonnes of white rice is consumed monthly in the state.

As of September, only half of the amount had been consumed.

He said KSPD also guaranteed that the supply would increase as the harvesting of rice begins in northern Selangor at the end of the month.

“Therefore, I urge the public not to resort to panic buying.”

Yesterday, agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu said the ministry expected the shortage of local white rice supply in the market to be stabilised within a month.

According to the Farmers’ Organization Authority deputy director (development) Amir Mat Amin, uncertain weather and crop diseases throughout the last harvest season from April to August had affected the supply of local white rice in the market.

The increase in the price of imported rice had also resulted in a surge in demand for local rice. - FMT