Govt signs agreements with importing companies to ensure stabilization of rice prices
DILI, 18 december 2023 (TATOLI) – The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, in his capacity as Acting Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, on tuesday (17/10), signed five agreements with food import companies to implement the temporary intervention to stabilize the price of rice on the markets, at a ceremony held at the Government Palace in Dili.
The signing of the agreements aimed to ensure that the price of imported rice sold in the warehouses of national rice wholesalers is set at a maximum of US$12 for each 25kg bag or parcel so that retail sales can be set at a maximum of US$50 cents for each kilogram of rice.
To comply with this price ceiling, national rice wholesalers or national economic operators importing rice wholesale will receive a US$5 subsidy for each 25kg bag or parcel, corresponding to US$20 cents per kilogram of rice.
To qualify for the subsidy, companies must submit payment requests, accompanied by a copy certified by the Customs Authority, proving that the product was imported following the specifications and period defined by Decree-Law no. 76/2023 of September 29th, which established this measure.
The five companies that formalized the agreement with The Government today are Perissos Victoria Lda, Loja Creative Furak Lda, Lisun Importação & Exportação Lda, Jusibel Unipessoal Lda and Alfa Dili Unipessoal Lda.
The manager of Creative Furak Lda, Yati Zaka, said that his company is willing to collaborate with the government to establish rice prices in the country.
Meanwhile, rice retailers and communities consider that government intervention is too slow, stating the government has not yet done enough to tackle the rising rice prices.
Luis Gutteres do Rego, a rice retailer from Comoro, said that the government’s intervention was too slow, as the rising rice prices began to endanger families who couldn’t afford to buy enough food to feed themselves.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Filomeno Martins
