DILI, 14 december 2023 (TATOLI)-The government, through the National Logistics Centre (CLN), is currently allocating $3 million to purchase another 4,000 tons of imported rice from Cambodia, which will arrive in Timor-Leste by january 2024.
The policy is made to ensure rice stocks to fulfill food security in Timor-Leste.”The current stock of rice products in the CLN warehouse is around 1,385 tons of local rice, 1,586 tons of rice husk, 295 tons of corn kernels, and 180 tons of long beans. Besides, we have purchased another 4,000 tons of imported rice; the total stock currently stands at 6,178 tons,” Director of Transportation and Logistics Tito da Costa told Tatoli by phone on thursday.
He explained that the rice purchased came from an international company that won a public contest and will arrive in Timor-Leste in january 2024.
“The cost of purchasing the rice is approximately $3 million, and the total stock of rice will be 6,000 tons, so that it can respond to food emergency needs in all national regions of Timor-Leste,” he concluded.
Previously, Jacinto Paijo, Executive Director of the NLC, said that before the government decreases the quantity of imported rice, it must first of all encourage its people to buy and become fond of their own local products. Therefore, introducing domestic rice through the School Feeding Program is part of the effort to promote domestic rice to the public.
He further explained that before the government stops importing rice, local production in the country must be able to meet its domestic needs, and in order to achieve that end, integrated efforts from all the concerned parties are indispensable.
In other words, MALFF must make a good strategy to increase production, farmers themselves must have the willingness to increase production, and NLC must create a good market mechanism for the distribution and sale of domestic rice.
Journalist: Mirandolina Barros Soares
Translator: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Armandina Moniz
