KUALA LUMPUR: The padi and rice industry has been mixing local and imported white rice to create brand “variations” for decades, says the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.
It said in a parliamentary written reply dated Monday (March 3) that this practice has been done since the 1970s to meet local consumer tastes after the establishment of the National Padi and Rice Board (LPN).
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The ministry said it had been instructed by the Cabinet to refine the best methods and mechanisms to regulate the mixing of local and imported white rice through legislation.
“The ministry will also draft a comprehensive pricing mechanism proposal for mixed rice categories before submitting it to the Cabinet for consideration.
“This plan has also received the support of the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) as a solution to the ongoing rice supply issue.
“It is hoped that this, combined with other efforts, will receive support from all stakeholders for the benefit and future of the national rice and padi industry,” it said.
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The ministry added that there are currently no specific provisions for prosecution in court regarding the offence of rice mixing under the Control of Padi and Rice Act 1994 or subsidiary legislation.
Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) wanted to know the results of the ministry's detailed study of a proposal to adjust the prices of local white rice and any subsequent steps to be taken.
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Datuk Muslimin Yahaya (PN-Sungai Besar) also wanted to know the local white rice situation and what steps were being taken to address the issue.
A study by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) released on Feb 26 found that between 45% and 50% of bags labelled as imported white rice were mixed with local grains.
