KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government provides a subsidy of about RM350 per metric tonne for imported white rice in Sabah, the Dewan Negara was told on Tuesday.
Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, said the subsidy ensures the average price of imported white rice in Sabah remains around RM24 to RM25 per kilogram, lower than in Peninsular Malaysia.
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He was responding to a question from Edward Linggu regarding white rice supply in the state.
At the same time, Chan said efforts are ongoing to boost local rice production.
The Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) Kota Belud, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, continues to strengthen its role through the SMART Large-Scale Paddy Field (SMART SBB) programme to improve Sabah’s rice self-sufficiency rate.
In 2024, paddy production in Kota Belud reached 37,182 metric tonnes annually, with an average yield of 4.2 metric tonnes per hectare, a 45 per cent increase compared to 2019, which recorded 25,597 metric tonnes annually with an average yield of 2.9 metric tonnes per hectare.
