Price of imported white rice reduced

PUTRAJAYA: The retail prices of imported white rice (BPI) will be reduced between RM2 and RM3 effective today, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM).

The current retail price of BPI in the market is between RM38 to RM45 for a 10kg pack and with the announcement of the new price range, 10kg pack imported white rice will be reduced to RM35.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said in a statement on Tuesday that the decision was finalised through the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) to overcome the shortage of Local White Rice (BPT) in the market following the announcement for BPI prices by Bernas on Sept 1, 2023.

“In order to enable the people to buy rice at a reasonable price, the government through the NACCOL meeting agreed to reduce the prices of BPI by between RM2 and RM3 in the market.

“The government remains optimistic that the initiative will be able to ease the people’s cost of living during the Ramadan month and festive season,” he said.

Mohamad Sabu added that to increase the distribution of BPT in the market, the government has decided that all current available stock of paddy and rice that has been bought by the factories amounting to 140,000 metric tonnes can be processed and distributed for the local market.

“Therefore, KPKM will increase its enforcement through the Kawalselia Padi dan Beras (KPB) throughout the country. In expanding the distribution network for BPT, Agro MADANI Sales will be initiated by the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (FAMA) and National Farmers Organisation (LPP) on a more frequent basis,” he said.

Mohamad Sabu added that the government also agreed that all government contracts use BPI because such an effort can ensure additional stock of BPT of 20,000 metric tonnes would be available for distribution in April 2024.

“All these efforts reflect the commitment of the Malaysia MADANI government to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of the people as well as ensure food security in the country,” he said.

Earlier, the minister told the Dewan Rakyat that the national rice and padi restructuring scheme will be announced soon after the government has finished getting views from all parties through the engagement session that is being held.

He said the new scheme was necessary to increase supply because local white rice production was only 62 per cent in the country with 50 per cent of it distributed for the market.

“This is a long-term arrangement because this white rice supply issue will remain problematic as long as we do not have enough rice in Malaysia. For that reason, all parties including MPs will be involved in engagement session so that they can give their views.

“This is a national problem that demands a joint solution because who would have thought that the current hot weather for example could cause production loss,” he said when replying to a question from Datuk Rosol Wahid (PNHulu Terengganu). Rosol had wanted to know the extraordinary measures that the government will take to overcome the issue of local white rice shortage in the market.

Mohamad said the ministry planned to open new padi farms in Sarawak, Sabah, Johor, Perak and Pahang to further increase the supply of white rice in the country.

Replying to a supplementary question from Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud) who wanted to know if the government plans to give money to farmers affected by the current hot and dry season in Kota Belud and Papar, Mohamad said the matter is subject to the assessment of the Rice Crop Disaster Fund (TBTP) committee.

“Through this fund, padi farmers are given RM876 per hectare with the maximum amount of aid to eligible rice farmers being limited to the destroyed area of three hectares.

“Last year, a total of RM12 million was channelled and for Sabah, it (aid) involved an area of 219 hectares, especially in Kota Belud,” he added.