Is the government’s rice move the right one?

Imported rice: Workers plant rice seedlings at a paddy field in Serang, Indonesia’s Banten province. Bernas operates only 28 out of the 180 rice mills in the country, where between 650 million tonnes and 800 million tonnes of paddy are imported annually. — Reuters

Bernas says ending its monopoly will not bring down price of rice

PADIBERAS Nasional Bhd (Bernas) came under the spotlight recently when the government announced that the company’s monopoly to import rice, a right it has had since 1974, would be terminated.