KUALA LUMPUR: The National Farmers Organisation (Nafas) is ready to import rice if Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) is unable to meet demand.
National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) Task Force (Food Cluster) chairman Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said the matter was among the things discussed with Nafas representatives today to resolve the rice shortage in the country.
"They are willing to become an alternative rice importers if Bernas is not prepared to obtain competitive prices to meet local needs of rice.
"They have the facilities (to become a rice importer), it is just a matter of adding to what is lacking," he said at a press conference in the Parliament media centre, today.
Syed Abu Hussin added that Nafas was also prepared to help the government in the rice supply chain, including offering reasonable prices for local white rice and addressing the cartel issue in the industry.
He said the proposal would also be presented to tomorrow's Naccol meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"In our meeting, we also mentioned that the shortage of local rice is due to repackaging by cartels seeking excessive profits.
"Hence, involvement from the beginning, from land cultivation to rice control and distribution, can be done by Nafas.
"God willing, Nafas can work alongside the government in addressing cartel pressures and selling rice at more reasonable prices to ensure the cost of living can be reduced and rice prices could be stabilised to benefit the farmers."
Asked about the price of rice that Nafas could offer, Syed Abu Hussin said the price it proposed was RM30 for a 10kg sack.
He said a rice cartel was spearheaded by unscrupulous traders due to a lack of serious regulation and enforcement, affording an opportunity for price manipulation.
"For example, because there are two price structures, imported rice is uncontrolled, while local rice is controlled.
"As for local rice, the implementation, supervision and oversight are not serious, hence, manufacturers can substitute local rice with imported rice.
"This is why the market manipulation by the cartel to gain more profit can happen at any time if there is no effective and transparent regulation and enforcement."