‘Local rice selling fast but there’s adequate supply for now’

GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians have not resorted to panic-buying rice following the price hike of imported white rice globally.

A check at the supermarkets here showed that the supply of local white rice is sufficient but they have been selling fast after recent developments.

Gama Supermarket and Departmental Store human resource and security manager Lim Kian Seong said there was ample supply of local and imported white rice.

“From what we have noticed, there is no mad rush for rice at our supermarket. While the smaller bags of local rice are finishing, we still have stock for the 5kg packaging. We will not be imposing restrictions on the sale of local rice as we are not running low on supply,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sunshine Wholesale Mart marketing and communication manager Bryan Wong said their stock of white rice, especially the local variety, had gone down significantly.

“There is a spike in sales, but not to the extent of panic buying.

“We have an adequate amount of rice for daily sales, but we have limited the sale of local rice to two bags per family,” he said, adding that the company had begun limiting the packs (of local rice) in July when the shortage of local rice started.

On Sept 1, Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) said the price of white rice had been increased with immediate effect to RM3,200 from RM2,350 per tonne due to unpredictable factors such as climate change, weakening of the foreign exchange rate, high operating costs and conflicts in the region.The price hike will cost consumers 85sen more for a kilogramme of imported white rice.

In SEREMBAN, state senior executive councillor Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said there was still sufficient supply of rice throughout the state except in one or two areas.

The rural development, plantation and commodities and agriculture, food security and cost of living committees chairman said there were no reports of a shortage or panic buying.

“Overall, I didn’t get reports of shortages.

However, we are monitoring supply in one or two areas where there have been reports of reduced supply,” he said.

Jalaluddin, who is also Jelebu MP, said he held a meeting with the state agriculture authorities and the relevant parties earlier yesterday and measures would be taken to stabilise supply.

A retailer here who chose to remain anonymous said he had yet to receive supply for an order he placed a fortnight ago.

“Usually the supply would come in the early days of the new month, but it has been delayed this time around. I don’t know what the real reason is, but talk is that it is due to a shortage of supply of local white rice,” he said.

Checks at several stores here showed that there was still enough supply of rice.

However, a store along Jalan Yam Tuan had almost run out of local white rice and when asked, an employee said this was normal.

“It usually almost runs out during this time of the month. Our suppliers should be replenishing supply today or tomorrow,” she said.

Checks at outlets along Jalan Tuanku Munawir and Jalan Tan Sri Manickavasagam also showed that there was ample supply.

Meanwhile in Sabah, there’s sufficient supply of rice amid concerns expressed by the public that the price hike for rice imports will affect stock and cost of locally-produced rice in the state.

The Sabah Padi and Rice Regulatory (KPB) division, an agency under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, said it was regularly monitoring rice stock in the Sabah market.

“The rice supplies in Sabah is okay, stock is adequate,” said Sabah KPB director Ab Alim Multazam yesterday.