-- Commerce Ministry dispels rumorsAuthorities of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) over the weekend vehemently rejected claims that there is a shortage of rice on the local market, contrary to speculations that the commodity was in short supply. Though rice is in recent days scarce on the market, Commerce Minister Mawine G. Diggs attributed the hike in the price of rice to speculations in the public that the commodity is not in the country. “I want to state clearly here that there is no, absolutely no, shortage of rice on the market and therefore no need for panic buying as we have observed,” she added. Minister Diggs, however, said offloading of the rice from the vessels at the Freeport of Monrovia by importers sometimes delays, which she said does not amount to rice shortage. According to Minister Diggs, the price of rice on the market remains on sale for US$13.00 for wholesale on the 25kg bag of rice, while retail is US$ 13.50.

Source: Daily Observer September 06, 2021 04:52 UTC