DILI, 03 october 2023 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI), together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Timor-Leste (CCI-TL) have called on the rice importers and the owners of grocery stores across the country not to commit the rice price gouging.
The authorities have warned grocery store owners to keep the price of a 12kg sack of rice at US$12.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Filipus Nino Pereira said that MCI, in collaboration with the CCI-TL will carry out operations to find and take legal action against those engaged in rice price gouging.
“We will continue to monitor and control the price of rice across the country,’’ Pereira told reporters after a meeting with CCI-TL, in Dili, today.
He said that the IX Constitutional Government had committed itself to controlling the price of rice in order to maintain the current price of a 25kg at US$12.
Meanwhile, the president of the CCI-TL, Jorge Manuel Serrano, said that CCI-TL is committed to helping the Minister of Trade and Industry to prevent rising rice prices and rice shortages from happening again in the country.
“CCI-TL will continue to work closely with the Government, the Authority for Inspection of Economic, Sanitary, and Food Activities (AIFAESA), and the National Logistic Center (NLC) to monitor and control the price of rice in the country.”
More than 15,000 tons of rice were imported last month by rice importers to help stabilize rice prices.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Filomena Martins
