MRF distributes 250,000 rice sacks to four regions, states to steer volatile market

Myanmar Rice Federation has sent 250,000 sacks of rice to four regions and states beyond the Yangon Region to sell them at fairer prices to the consumers to control the high volatility in the domestic market, including 200,000 sacks to Rakhine State, 2,000 to Mon State, 1,000 to Magway Region and 2,000 to Kayin State.
Aemahta rice of export quality (well-milled, polished and sorted) started to sell off at K2,500 per pyi at 42 shops in 17 townships across Yangon Region on 25 August.
The mobile market scheme for Aemahta rice variety will cover 17 townships with 42 shops starting from 25 August, with seven shops in Hlinethaya Township, four each in Shwepyitha and South Dagon, five in North Okkalapa, three in Thingangyun, Dala and Mingaladon, two each in North Dagon and East Dagon, Dawbon, and one each in Dagon Seikkan, Pazundaung, Thakayta, Kyimyindine, Ahlon, Seikkyi Khanaungto and Insein.
The MRF launched a subsidy scheme for Pawsan and Aemahta rice varieties on 7 August at Wahdan and Bayintnaung Commodity Wholesale Centres. Each consumer is entitled to buy a sack of Pawsan rice and a sack of Aemahta rice per month, presenting the citizenship scrutiny card.
In addition to the rice depots, the MRF is selling off rice to the staff from government departments, factories and companies according to the relevant reports. The federation is also running a mobile market at the quarters in the townships, with the fairer price of K2,500 per pyi of Aemahta rice.
Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) notified on 7 August that it would sell off 170,000 rice sacks in August, comprising 50,000 rice sacks of Aemahta variety, 20,000 sacks of Pawsan rice and 100,000 sacks of short matured rice Aemahta variety (90 days). The federation will increase the sales quota when necessary.
The rice prices are set at K110,000-120,000 per sack of Pawsan from the Shwebo area, K94,000-97,000 for Pawsan from Ayeyawady, K65,000 for Aemahta (10 per cent broken) and K60,000 for Aemahta (25 per cent broken) respectively.
MRF, affiliated associations, rice exporting companies, rice mills and traders will exert concerted efforts to stabilize the prices in August and September and offer the fairer prices to the consumers of low income, MRF stated.
Despite MRF’s subsidy scheme of selling off reserved rice to control the price increases, the prices of rice are on an upward trend in the domestic market.
The price of high-grade Pawsan rice from the Shwebo area rocketed to K145,000 per sack.
The prices of old Pawsan rice hit K110,000-122,000 per bag depending on producing areas (Myaungmya, Pathein, Pyapon and other regions), while rice prices stood at K98,000 per bag of Kunni, K70,000 for Ngasein, K68,000-69,000 for Aemahta, K100,000 for Pawkywe, K70,000 for rice grown under intercropping system and K110,000 for new Pawsan rice variety, as per the price data released by Myanmar Rice Wholesale Centre (Wahdan). — NN/EM