Thursday, May 28th, 2009 07:06:00

The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry may stop hypermarkets in the country from selling Super Tempatan 15 (ST15) rice as a means of stabilising the price and overcome the rice  shortage.

Its minister Datuk Noh Omar said this was among the proposals made during a meeting with Bernas, bumiputera and non-bumiputera millers and wholesalers.

"The government's objective of introducing the ST15 rice was to help the lower income group and that was why it was subsidised. Not many from the lower income group do their shopping at hypermarkets because they prefer to buy at sundry shops," he said in Putrajaya.

The proposal was to find a solution as consumers from the lower income group, especially those in rural areas, had been lamenting a shortage of the ST15 rice at sundry shops and supermarkets.

Noh added that every month, 40,000 metric tonnes of ST15 rice was produced and from the amount, 10,000 metric tonnes are supplied to hypermarkets. He added that the ministry was also considering issuing licences to buy padi for millers only. Unlike in the past, where even those without their own mills were issued licences. - Bernama

Source: http://www.mmail.com.my/content/st15-rice-ban-hypermarkets