PETALING JAYA: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry has assured Malaysians that the supply of rice is sufficient.
The ministry said the National Cost of Living Action Council (Naccol) meeting last month had decided to reduce the price of imported white rice by between RM2 and RM3.
It also said the distribution of local white rice is underway.
“To date, the physical stock of rice in the country is at 1,096,964 tonnes, including a buffer stock of 290,000 tonnes.
“This amount is stable and capable of fulfilling the needs of the people for 5.48 months.
“Furthermore, the ratio of the country’s physical rice stock to its population is among the highest and most secure in the region,” it said in a statement yesterday.
It added that the government has been implementing various initiatives to ensure the increase of local rice production, particularly through the 12 Rice Wave Initiatives.
This includes the Large-Scale Smart Padi Ala Sekinchan programme, a five-season rice planting programme for two years, and initiatives to strengthen infrastructure padi field irrigation.“The ministry also encourages the cultivation and consumption of other nutritious and healthy crops by the people.
“This is a major part of the ministry’s agenda in executing the national food security strategy in line with the National Agro-Food Policy 2021-2030,” it added.
