PUTRAJAYA (March 19): The government, through the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol), has agreed that the retail price of imported white rice will be reduced by RM2 to RM3 effective Wednesday, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said.

He added that the current price is around RM38 to RM45 for a 10 kilogramme (kg) pack of imported white rice, which is expected to drop to RM35 following the announced adjustment in price, which was finalised at Tuesday’s Naccol meeting.

"The government is optimistic that this move will help Malaysians reduce their cost of living, especially during the Ramadan month and the upcoming festivities,” he said, adding that the government also decided that all current rice stocks, totalling 140,000 metric tonnes, and purchased by millers, will need to be processed and made available to local markets immediately to boost rice distribution.

“My ministry will ramp up enforcement throughout the country, and to expand the distribution of imported white rice, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (FAO) will carry out more Agro Madani sales throughout the country,” he said.

Mohamad also shared that the government had agreed that all government contracts would use imported white rice, with this ensuring that the additional 20,000 metric tonnes of imported white rice would be fully distributed by April.

"All these measures — lower rice prices and additional rice supply in the market — would boost the availability of rice to Malaysians,” he said.

Mohamad also said that his ministry will continue discussions with stakeholders to fine-tune a long-term action plan, in its bid to craft a more realistic rice production cost structure, to ensure that the rice industry would be sustainable, especially in safeguarding the interests and welfare of rice farmers while boosting national rice production.

"This decision shows the strong commitment of the Madani government in preserving the welfare of the people and to strengthen the national food security agenda,” he added.