Sabah Warisan concerned over surge in price of locally produced rice

Sabah Warisan has expressed concern over the price surge of locally produced rice, in tandem with the recent price hike of imported white rice announced by Bernas.

The party's Kota Kinabalu division chief Samuel Wong said the price hike caused a wave of panic buying, which in turn resulted in a shortage of rice at supermarkets in the state.

"Local rice prices have surged alongside imported varieties, leaving many Sabahans struggling to afford this essential staple.

"The government had previously guaranteed that local rice prices would remain stable. However, with prices of local rice increasing by over 50 percent in stores, this assurance appears to be empty," Wong said in a statement today.

He was referring to the assurance Agriculture and Food Security Deputy Minister Chan Foong Hin gave yesterday that there would be no price increase for local rice and that there was ample supply.

Agriculture and Food Security Deputy Minister Chan Foong Hin

Chan said that he had reached a consensus with paddy millers and rice wholesalers, through Bernas, to increase the supply of local white rice by 20 percent to ensure its continuous supply.

"I visited a market in my constituency this morning as well. So far, there is a sufficient supply of local Sabah rice, with one of the brands selling at RM28 per 10kg," the Kota Kinabalu MP wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

However, Wong said the reality on the ground painted a different picture.

He claimed that the price of local rice had surged to "alarming levels", with some stores selling it for up to RM4 per kg.

"The government should present concrete plans to mitigate the price increase and the shortage of local rice. Are there immediate solutions? Will there be deployment of enforcement teams to monitor rice prices in supermarkets and stores across the region?" Wong asked.

Weather affects supply

Sabah's Rice Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL) is at 22 percent while 78 percent of the state's rice needs are imported from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Pakistan.

With many of the rice-exporting countries hit by droughts and floods due to the El Niño phenomenon, the supply of imported rice could also dwindle, he pointed out.

Wong asked if the state government was prepared to guarantee that local producers can ramp up their production quickly to meet the shortfall when this happens.

Samuel Wong

He urged Chan to rectify the issue, as pledged on the latter's Facebook recently.

"The people of Sabah are already burdened by rising inflation in various food products, and the surging local rice prices and shortages have compounded their woes.

"Sabahans deserve a better quality of life - affordable food, stable incomes, increased job opportunities, and improved infrastructure. It's high time for action, not empty promises, from those in power."

Yesterday, Sabah Umno information chief Suhaimi Nasir called on enforcement authorities, particularly from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, to continuously monitor the state's rice supply following the increase in the price of imported commodities.

The Borneo Post quoted him as saying that he had received feedback from the people about some shops lacking a supply of rice, and others limiting the purchase of the products to two packets for each purchase. - Mkini