By Sofia Nasir
SHAH ALAM, Sept 20 — The Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS) has launched an initiative to sell its 5kg Ehsan branded white rice to the general public for just RM13, starting today.
Approximately 2,700 packs of the rice, previously exclusive to the state’s Jualan Ehsan Rahmah (JER) programme, will now be made available daily at seven locations.
This comes amid growing concerns over the noticeable shortage of local white rice in the market and the soaring prices of imported rice.
PKPS chief executive officer Mohamad Khairil Mohamad Razi said this is a strategic move to provide relief to the public, in light of the rising costs of living.
“Our aim is to ensure a robust food supply chain so the community does not bear the brunt of escalating prices,” he said.
While the rice retails at RM13 within the seven PKPS’ designated sales locations, it will continue to be sold for RM10 at JER programmes.
The seven locations that will be offering these rice packs are Wisma PKPS in Section 14, Shah Alam, Ehsan PKPS outlets in Section 9, Shah Alam and in Meru, Klang, Ehsan kiosk at the Selangor Fruit Valley in Bestari Jaya, and three designated Ehsan PKPS mobile trucks.
Previously, it was reported that Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) increased the price of imported white rice nationwide from RM2,350 per tonne to RM3,200 per tonne, effective September 1.
As the nation’s sole rice importer, Bernas said it has been absorbing the impact of the rising imported rice prices over the past few years.
Earlier this week, the Federal government announced its intention to launch the Rahmah Rice Sales programme in every Parliamentary constituency, offering imported rice at discounted price as an alternative for consumers to reduce dependence on locally produced rice.
Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Fuziah Salleh said the specific operational details of this initiative will be made public soon, reaffirming the government’s commitment to easing economic pressures on citizens.
Meanwhile, earlier today Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said he 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.
