KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) has no immediate plans to hike food prices even though the price of retail imported white rice has increased by 36% starting September 1.
Presma president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan said its members will try to keep to their current prices, despite feeling the effects of rising costs of other raw food items.
“The problem of shortage of local rice and the price increase of imported rice is affecting traders. Also, prices of other raw materials such as onions also went up.
“But we have no intention of raising prices for now. Of course, profits will be affected but we will try to stick to the current prices for as long as possible,” he told Scoop.
However, he said this is just a temporary measure as he hopes the government will find solutions so traders do not need to resort to raising prices.
“We are ready to discuss with the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry if invited to a dialogue session.”
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu today warned rice millers against illegally labelling local rice products, following the recent price hike of imported ones.
He also advised the public not to panic buy as the local rice supply is sufficient for domestic consumption.
He reiterated that padi millers and rice wholesalers have been asked to increase the supply of local white rice by 20% through the Local White Rice Special Programme as one of the intervention measures.
In addition, the ministry will meet with Padiberas Nasional Bhd and padi farmers this Thursday, to discuss steps to ensure sufficient local rice in the country. – September 5, 2023