A PLATE of plain rice is estimated to cost only 38 sen, but a quick check on food delivery platforms revealed that certain restaurants had marked up the price to RM3.50 – or almost 300% higher.
Agriculture and Food Security Ministry Agricultural Industry Development Division secretary Datuk Azman Mahmood said he had discovered this when he had conducted a check on the Grab application on Friday (March 22), reported Berita Harian.
Taking into account that a 10kg pack of white rice retails at RM38, restaurant operators could easily serve up to 100 plates of rice to its patrons, he added.
“This averages a plate of white rice at about 38 sen only, but when I conducted a check on restaurants featured on the Grab application, I saw that it costs RM3.50 for a plate of rice which is almost 300% higher,” he revealed at the Selamat Pagi Malaysia talkshow on RTM this morning.
Azman went on to remind restaurant operators to not take the opportunity to raise the price for a plate of rice too exorbitantly given that it does not cost more than 40 sen.
“Please don’t do this. They should understand that the government, alongside Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas), wholesalers, retailers and all affected parties in the sector had already taken the necessary steps to adjust the price of white rice in the market,” he remarked.
In a statement on Wednesday (March 20), Bernas said it had adjusted the price for imported white rice from RM3,200 to RM3,000 per metric ton.
The reduced prices had come into effect on the same day.
“This translates to a decrease in the retail price of imported white rice by RM2 to RM3 per 10kg bag,” it said.
The government had also announced on Tuesday (March 19) that the retail price of imported white rice would be reduced by RM2 to RM3.
Currently, imported white rice retails for between RM38 to RM45 per 10kg bag. With this adjustment, a 10kg pack of imported white rice could go down to RM35.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the decision was finalised by the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) to overcome the shortage of local white rice in the market following the announcement of imported white rice prices by Bernas on Sept 1, 2023. – March 22, 2024
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