KEPALA BATAS: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (MAFS) expects the shortage of local white rice supply in the market to stabilise within a month following various intervention measures and continuous monitoring from the government.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said that the ministry's engagement session with the country’s rice industry players involving manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers agreed to give a commitment to realise the implementation of the Local White Rice Special Programme (PKBPT) nationwide.

"Through PKBPT, manufacturers will increase production by 20 per cent of local white rice supply for the domestic market for a period of one year.

"We will also intervene whenever there is a shortage in supply through the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and the Farmers' Organisations Authority (LPP)," he said in a press conference here Wednesday (Sept 20).

He said this intervention method was done during the shortage of chicken and egg supplies, which has now been resolved.

He said this after launching the Pokok Sena Farmers’ Association (PKK) Farmers’ Outlet (PO), an initiative for the purpose of distributing local white rice to target groups, especially in areas that do not have supermarkets.

He said this Farmers’ Outlet will sell 2,000 rice packets, priced at RM26 for a 10 kg packet.

Meanwhile, LPP director-general Datuk Azulita Salim said that from April to August 2023, a total of 62 programmes have been implemented at LPP branches nationwide with a sales value of RM742,361.50 with a total of 45,850 visitors.

"LPP aims for a sales value of RM1.59mil and 53,000 visitors by December this year through the Agro Madani Sales,” she said.

LPP will also involve 40 selected Farmers’ Outlets by targeting 300 metric tonnes of local white rice at a controlled price, to stabilise supply nationwide.