Selangor to subsidise imported rice purchase until year end, says exco rep

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government will subsidise the purchase of imported rice through Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) until the end of this year to ensure a stable supply of the staple food in the state.

State Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Izham Hashim (pic) said the imported rice was bought at a price of RM17 per 5kg, and resold to the people at a price of RM13 per 5kg under the Jualan Ehsan Rakyat (JER) programme.

"Recently, we had a discussion with Bernas, they brought in the imported rice but we are selling it according to the price of local white rice (BPT), which means we are subsidising it.

"We buy for RM17 per 5kg but we sell for RM13, which is the ceiling price for BPT," he said.

"We are repacking this imported rice to be sold under the JER programme at four branches of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS) and other mobile sales since last week," he told the media after the 2024 Agricultural Census Retreat Session with Selangor-level agencies, here Wednesday (Sept 27).

He said that although the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry expects the supply of the staple food to be stable within the next two to three weeks, the state government is prepared to cover the purchase subsidy for another two to three months to ensure the supply is sufficient.

On the 2024 Agricultural Census that will be carried out in the state from July to September next year, Izham said there are a total of 60,000 respondents covering individuals, companies, associations and cooperatives.

He said the state government welcomed the census programme to obtain the latest and comprehensive data to make plans for the development of the sector since the last study was carried out in 2005. - Bernama