KUALA LUMPUR: Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said consumers purchasing trends interrupted the supply of local white rice recently.
He said this was due to the hike in price of imported rice, which led to consumers changing their consumption pattern.
"The supply of local rice is sufficient. The local rice supply had to be released so quickly to satisfy the demands of buyers in general as they made a switch to the cheaper local rice."
He said the ministry is ready to comprehensively re-examine all aspects involving the supply of rice, including the setting of the minimum rate for rice sales which has remained at RM2,100 per tonne since 2008.
"The government will also review from time to time the needs of all parties, including the issue of exchanging packagings and so on," he told a special press conference after launching the intervention measures to address issues with rice supply in the country here today.
Present were Agriculture and Food Security Ministry secretary-general and the ministry's Padi and Rice Industry Division director Datuk Azman Mahmood, and Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry Enforcement deputy director-general, Shamsul Nizam Khalil.
Also present were the Department of Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS) director-general, Shamsul Akbar Sulaiman and Bukit Aman Special Branch (E5) principal assistant director Senior Assistant Commissioner Datin Seri Zalena Mohd Ariffin.