The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security held dialogues with rice milling companies last Saturday, through its Paddy and Rice Regulatory Division, to discuss the issue of super special local (SST) rice stocks in the market.
Its Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the current supply of the more expensive imported rice is sufficient but the supply of SST rice needs to be streamlined.
Commenting on allegations that some traders were switching the local rice packaging with imported rice packaging to make profits, Mohamad said the ministry has yet to receive any specific report on the matter.
“It has been mentioned in general but there are no specific reports, if there is, our enforcement personnel will act quickly to prevent such attempts,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after a South Zone farmers meeting organised by the National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS), here today,
Also present at the meeting were Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LLP) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar; NAFAS board of directors Chairman, Datuk Zamri Yaakob; LLP Director-General Datuk Azulita Salim and NAFAS General Manager, Muhammad Faris Arriffin.
SST is a type of local rice that contains five percent broken grains and the price is regulated by the government at RM13 per five-kilogramme bag and RM26 for 10 kg, unlike the price of imported rice, which is not regulated.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency