KUALA LUMPUR: Uncertain weather patterns combined with the effects of pest attacks have been identified as among the factors that inflicted the country's padi yields production during the past three harvesting seasons, the Malay Rice Millers Association of Malaysia said.
Its secretary-general Musonnef Md Radzi said this had subsequently affected the supply of white rice in the domestic market.
The country's padi yields, he said, registered a drop of between an estimated three and five per cent since early last year, which in turn reduced the supply of white rice in the local market by almost 10 per cent.
Musonnef dismissed accusations that the rice supply shortage in the market was due to the irresponsible action of rice millers or wholesalers hoarding their supply of the staple food.
He, however, suspected that the shortage was the result of irresponsible action by some rice wholesalers who engaged in price manipulations by switching the labels of the rice from local to imported.
"Such tactics are believed to be happening since there is no mechanism to regulate or control the price of imported rice. On the other hand, the price of local rice has been set at RM26 for the 10kg bag," he told the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) today.
Musonnef also blamed other factors which resulted in the reduction of padi yields in the country. Among them included lands meant for padi fields being used for other purposes.
"The drop in padi yield is an issue that must be addressed by the respective state governments immediately," he said.
It was reported that Malaysians may need to fork out an extra RM21 a month on imported white rice following the move by Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) to increase by 36 per cent from RM2,350 per metric tonne to RM3,200 the price of the product from Friday last week.
Bumiputera Retailers Organisation president Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin said the rise meant a RM7 price hike for a 10kg bag of rice. He based his calculations on a family of five.
Following this, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry has instructed padi millers and rice wholesalers to increase the supply of local white rice by 20 per cent, through the Local White Rice Special Programme, to restore supply in the market.
The ministry said the request had been agreed upon by padi millers and rice wholesalers in a joint engagement session with the North Zone Rice Manufacturers and Rice Wholesalers Industry on Aug 27 in Alor Star, Kedah.
"Through this programme, Bernas will give the additional quota to Bumiputera wholesalers to increase the country's BPT supply," the ministry said.
