Malaysia’s Physical Rice Stock Reaches 1.237 Million Tonnes, Sufficient for Six Months Amid Global Tensions

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Malaysia’s physical rice stocks remain stable and sufficient to meet national consumption needs for at least six months, providing a vital buffer against potential supply disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions in West Asia, the Dewan Negara was told today.

Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin stated that the national reserve currently stands at 1.237 million tonnes, comprising 200,000 tonnes of official buffer stock and 1.037 million tonnes held in commercial reserves.

“We maintain the physical rice buffer stock managed by Padiberas Nasional Berhad (BERNAS), as well as commercial stocks that can last at least six months in the event of an impending global supply crisis,” Chan said during the parliamentary question-and-answer session.

Responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli regarding national preparedness for international food security crises, Chan emphasized that government price controls and subsidies on local white rice serve as an essential price stabilizer during periods of global market volatility.

To address recent production decline trends and risks posed by the El Nino phenomenon, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) is aggressively expanding the adoption of drought-resistant padi varieties to achieve an 80 percent self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) for rice by 2030.

“One way to address this issue is by expanding the use of drought-resistant padi varieties such as MR 380, MR 381 and MR 382. We also want to implement farm water management practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and System of Rice Intensification (SRI),” Chan explained.

As part of long-term structural improvements, KPKM is executing a five-season rice cultivation program over a two-year cycle within the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) regional network while upgrading state agricultural irrigation infrastructure.

The government has also introduced immediate cost-relief measures for local farmers, including a temporary Sales and Service Tax (SST) exemption on agricultural fertilizers such as rock phosphate and magnesium sulphate from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027. Additionally, the padi ploughing incentive for the 2026 planting season was increased from RM160 to RM300 per hectare, involving a RM40 million allocation that directly supports nearly 200,000 farmers.

–NMT