KUALA LUMPUR: The National Farmers Organisation (Nafas) is prepared to become an alternative rice importer should Bernas fail to procure competitively priced rice to fulfil local demand.
Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, the national action council on cost of living’s (Naccol) food prices committee chairman, noted that local rice production accounts for 62% of local demand, requiring the rest to be imported.
He said Naccol can undertake tasks from land agreements to rice handling.
“God willing, we will collaborate with the government to confront cartel pressures and offer rice at more reasonable prices.
“This will help reduce the daily cost of living and stabilise rice prices, bringing harmony to the rice industry from the top down to the farmers,” the Bukit Gantang MP said at a press conference today.
On Oct 10 last year, agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu said in a written parliamentary reply the government had no immediate plans to end Bernas’s monopoly.
Mohamad said the rice import policy continued to be the most effective strategy for tackling the ongoing shortage and future challenges.
However, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) urged the government to consider alternatives to Bernas to guarantee stability in the nation’s rice industry.
The PAC said reducing dependency on the concession agreement with Bernas would steer the rice industry towards an open market.
Syed Hussin said allowing prices to float could pose risks to both consumers and farmers.
“When the price of rice rises, consumers will face higher expenses, leading to an increase in cost of living.
“However, if market prices drop, farmers will earn less from their padi, leading to instability,” he said.
He said rice is regarded as crucial to food security as a staple food in Malaysia. Therefore, it should not be exposed to the uncertainties of a volatile open market. - FMT
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