DILI, 28 September 2023 (TATOLI)— Prime Minister (PM) Xanana Gusmão today met with the President of the Republic (PR), José Ramos Horta, to inform the rice subsidies in Timor-Leste.
“On this occasion, I convey that yesterday at the Council of Ministers meeting we discussed the issue of the normal price of rice, because currently there is a lot of rice with different qualities,” PM Xanana Gusmão told reporters after the meeting with the President of the Republic at the Presidential Palace Bairro-Pité on thursday.
It was explained that currently, the government has prepared a regulation to provide rice subsidies; therefore, it can solve the problem of the rice price surge that happened in Timor-Leste.
“Government regulations must be issued first; if they have been approved, they will be implemented, but for now, we have to control the quantity of rice in Timor-Leste, and then the government will provide the subsidies,” Gusmão stated.
Likewise, the Head of State, Ramos Horta recalled that the problem of soaring rice prices throughout Asia, including in Timor-Leste, had occurred in 2008 and 2009, so the government resolved it by providing subsidies.
“Rice soar had happened in 2008, during the rice crisis in the world, including in Asia, so the government bought the rice and sold it back at the normal price. Thus, we can solve this problem in 2008 and 2009, so we will use the same strategy to solve the surge of rice in 2023,” he said.
Horta informed that currently each ministry is starting to prepare program planning for 2024 because discussions are starting to enter 2024’s budget.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
