malaysian rice

Malaysian is going is cycle for its rice. In the news in Oct 2011, there was a great concern on the supply from vietnam due to the flood. Malaysia is an importer of rice mainly from Thailand and as the price of Thai rice has increased, Vietnam had becomes the new source.

Currently Malaysia imports about 1 million tons, Half from Vietnam, Thailand 30% Pakistan 16% and other country 4%. The present stock pile is about 1 million tons. The stock should last us for 5 months.

This is a known fact that there is the shelf life for rice. The humid temperature will encourage the development of fungus that produces toxins harmful.

Malaysia should be able to produce his own rice. That was the comment made by one local businessmen. There is always the big gap between should be and would be. Having sufficient land alone is not the main criteria of success. There was time when almost everyone in the rural areas were planting rice, but that was more for own consumption. There is no effort to plan it in the commercial way like the methods we are planting rubber or oil palm.

Without the drive from the government, malaysian rice will not be able to support the needs of the people. Without increasing its price, the jobs of planting rice may not be an attractive propositions.