KUALA LUMPUR: The country's physical rice stocks are stable and sufficient to meet the people's needs for at least six months, with 1.237 million tonnes in reserves providing a buffer against possible impacts from geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the Dewan Negara was told on Tuesday (Aug 4).
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the amount comprised 200,000 tonnes of the national rice buffer stock and 1.037 million tonnes of commercial stocks.
"We maintain the physical rice buffer stock managed by Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas), as well as commercial stocks that can last at least six months in the event of an impending global supply crisis," he said during the question-and-answer session.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli on the country's preparedness measures in maintaining staple food buffer stocks amid international geopolitical crises.
Chan said the supply control mechanism was also supported by government subsidies to regulate the price of local white rice, making it a stable price buffer compared with other commodities when prices surge in global markets.
On the target of achieving 80 per cent self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) for rice by 2030, Chan said the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry was taking proactive measures by expanding the use of new drought-resistant padi varieties.
This followed a gap in the country's SSR percentage that needed to be addressed due to declining production trends in recent years and the threat of the El Nino phenomenon.
"One way to address this issue is by expanding the use of drought-resistant padi varieties such as MR 380, MR 381 and MR 382. We also want to implement farm water management practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and System of Rice Intensification (SRI)," he said.
He said the ministry was also implementing a five-season rice cultivation project over two years in areas under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) and upgrading agricultural irrigation systems.
According to him, the ministry was implementing several short-term measures to reduce the burden of rising agricultural input costs.
These included a temporary exemption from the Sales and Service Tax for agricultural fertilisers such as rock phosphate and magnesium sulphate from Jan 1, 2026, to Dec 31, 2027.
Padi farmers' ploughing incentive for the 2026 planting season had also been increased from RM160 to RM300 per hectare, involving an additional allocation of about RM40mil that would benefit nearly 200,000 farmers, he added. - Bernama
