THE Selangor government said it would subsidise imported rice through Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) until the end of this year to ensure a stable supply of the staple food in the state.

State Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Izham Hashim said the imported rice was bought at a price of RM17 per 5kg, and resold to the people at a price of RM13 per 5kg under the Jualan Ehsan Rakyat (JER) programme.

“Recently we had a discussion with Bernas. It bought imported rice but we sell it according to the price of local white rice (at a subsidy). We buy for RM17 per 5kg but we sell for RM13, which is the ceiling price for local white rice,” he said.

“We have been repacking this imported rice for sale under the JER programme at four branches of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation and other mobile sales since last week,” he told the media after the 2024 Agricultural Census Retreat Session with state agencies in Shah Alam today.

He said although the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry expected rice supply to stabilise within the next few weeks, the state government was prepared to cover the subsidy for a few more months to ensure supply was sufficient.

On the 2024 Agricultural Census that will be carried out in the state from July to September next year, Izham said there were 60,000 expected respondents.

He said the state government welcomed the census as a means to obtain the latest and most comprehensive data that could contribute to development since the last poll was carried out in 2005. – Bernama, September 27, 2023.