Malaysia seeks additional 500,000 tons of rice from India

Malaysia is set to make a formal request to India for the procurement of an additional 500,000 metric tons of white rice, as confirmed by the country’s Agriculture Minister.

This move comes in addition to the 170,000 tons of white rice that India had previously allocated to Malaysia for the year. India, being the world’s largest rice exporter, had imposed restrictions on rice shipments to address inflation concerns and ensure food security.

According to Bernas, a state-run rice importer, Malaysia’s annual rice consumption stands at 2.5 million metric tons, with an average imported supply of 750,000 tons. The Agriculture Minister, Mohamad Sabu, announced the forthcoming official request to India through diplomatic channels following a meeting with India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Furthermore, Mohamad revealed that Malaysia had earlier submitted a request to India in January for 100,000 metric tons of onions through a government-to-government arrangement. This indicates Malaysia’s efforts to secure essential food supplies from India amidst its domestic consumption requirements.