Imported white rice cheaper from tomorrow

 

Agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu said the drop in the price of imported white rice would help to reduce cost of living.

PUTRAJAYA: The government, through the national action council on cost of living (Naccol), has agreed to reduce the retail price of imported white rice by RM2 to RM3 effective tomorrow, says agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu.

He said that the current price for a 10kg pack of imported white rice is around RM38 to RM45, and this is expected to drop to RM35 following the adjustment finalised at today’s Naccol meeting.

“The government is optimistic this move will help Malaysians reduce their cost of living, especially during the Ramadan month and the upcoming festivities,” he said.

Mohamad said the government had also decided that all current rice stocks purchased by millers, totalling 140,000 metric tonnes, must be processed and made available to local markets immediately to boost rice distribution.

“My ministry will ramp up enforcement throughout the country. To expand the distribution of imported white rice, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority and the Farmers’ Organisation Authority will carry out more Agro Madani sales throughout the country,” he said.

Mohamad said that the government had agreed that all government contracts would use imported white rice, which would ensure that the additional 20,000 metric tonnes of imported white rice will be fully distributed by April.

“All these measures – lower rice prices and additional rice supply in the market – will boost the availability of rice,” he said.

Mohamad said that his ministry would continue discussions with stakeholders to fine-tune a long-term action plan for a more realistic rice production cost structure, to ensure the rice industry is sustainable, especially in safeguarding the interests and welfare of rice farmers and boosting national rice production. - FMT