SEKINCHAN, July 18 — Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu assured the public that Malaysia has a sufficient supply of rice, and prices will still be maintained at current low levels.
“When the weather was unpredictable the harvest dipped a little but the paddy crops in Kedah and Perlis are doing well now and we will recover supply levels.
“The shortage in local rice is being supplemented by imported rice for the time being,” he told Bernama during his visit to a rice mill, earlier today.
Mohamad expressed confidence in increasing the country’s rice production, following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of an RM3 billion allocation to enhance paddy farming infrastructure nationwide.
“Paddy fields in Sekinchan have a high production rate. We will transfer their skills to other states, such as Kedah, Terengganu and Pahang so that they can increase their harvests too.
“This is a very serious matter and the supply of rice is always the ministry’s top priority,” he said.
The price of local rice will still be maintained as low as RM2.60 per kg and imported rice at RM3.20 per kg.
“We are maintaining local rice at RM2.60 despite pleas from the mills to increase it as they are not making much profit.
“Imported rice is more expensive of course at RM3.20 per kg. Do not worry, there is enough rice with the supplement of imported rice,” Mohamad said.
— Bernama
