PUTRAJAYA, June 23 — The government has set a ceiling price for the sale of local rice at producer and wholesale level effective June 16 as an immediate measure to ensure that the market price of local rice in the country remains stable and under control.

The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry said that all Commercial Paddy Factory licence and Rice Wholesale licence holders are required to comply with the ceiling price in accordance to the letter issued on June 16, 2023.

The ceiling price for Local Super Special 5 per cent (SST5) at retail level is set at RM2.60 a kilogramme (kg) as contained under the provision of the Paddy and Rice Act 1994, while the price of imported white rice is not controlled by the government,” the ministry said refuting claims by Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd (Mydin) managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin that prices would go up by RM1 or RM2 for 10kg of rice next month.

The ministry said that the price of imported white rice at retail level currently was at RM32 and below for every 10kg bag, which was the normal market price, subject to demand, adding that the market price of rice in the country was stable as the selling price for 70 per cent of local rice was controlled by the government.

Monitoring was also being conducted at retail and wholesale levels throughout the country to ensure that the price and supply of rice was always stable, the ministry assured. — Bernama