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3rd June 2008 - Rice stocks fast running out in rural Sarawak

Submitted by ian on Tue, 2008-06-03 11:06. :: Eyes on Miri | Environment | Food | News & Events



MIRI: Erratic increases in the price of rice have resulted in panic buying in rural areas in Bekenu, Niah and Marudi in northern Sarawak.

Bekenu, a sub-district, had almost run out of rice stock.

The district’s population of some 10,000 had been scrambling for Super 15% rice following the announcement that Bernas had fixed the price at RM1.80 per kilo to be the same as in the peninsula.

The June 1 date for this price standardisation coincided with the Gawai Dayak festival resulting in higher demand and panic-buying in the district.

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The lower-income group in Miri city, which has a population of 300,000 people, are rushing to buy the Bernas-controlled rice and this has affected stocks.

The price hikes have increased the price of rice by whopping 100%. We better go back to farming or change diet to grass.