Demand for subsidised rice outstrips supply

0

SIBU: Rice wholesalers here are not getting enough supply of the subsidised rice to meet the demand in the central region.

Sibu Rice Wholesalers’ Association chairman Yeo Keng Teck said the demand for rice the past two to three months had increased sharply.

He said wholesalers had not been getting enough supply since a year ago, and the situation had turned worse towards the end of last year.

Yeo, speaking at a press conference yesterday at the Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said barely 20 to 30 per cent of the demand for subsidised rice in the central region could be met at this point in time.

“We and the consumers have to make good with getting commercial rice which is costlier,” he said.

According to Yeo, subsidised rice is for distribution to places like, Sibu, Sarikei, Mukah, Kapit and Song.

On another issue, Yeo clarified that there was no hike in the price of fragrance rice as was reported by a local newspaper recently.

“I was puzzled as to where the reporter concerned heard about it. There was not even a notification letter to the effect sent to us,” he said, adding that the rice supplier would notify the wholesalers of any rise in the price of rice.

To his knowledge, prices of fragrance rice in West Malaysia and elsewhere in the country had also remained the same.