The agriculture and food security ministry will carry out a comprehensive review to determine the most effective strategy for sustaining local white rice supply following the conclusion of the subsidised local white rice programme tomorrow.
The ministry expressed its commitment to keeping the nation’s staple food affordable, accessible, reliable and sufficient.
It said that the six-month subsidised local white rice programme was part of the government’s efforts to better target subsidies and served as a transitional measure in the country’s white rice supply system.
“Based on the ministry’s survey of demand trends since its launch, consumption of local white rice reached around 18.2 million bags (75.8%) against the original target of 24 million bags.
“This trend indicates that consumers tend to prioritise…