Government started purchasing, inspecting, accepting and storing State rice reserves on April 30, and about 6,300 tons of rice bought from 40 export companies have been stored in five warehouses. 

The Ministry of Commerce, in cooperation with Myanmar Inspection and Testing Services Ltd and Myanmar Rice Federation, took charge of those tasks. 

The Department of Trade has announced that in declaring export of rice, licensed exporters must sell 10 percent of their amount declared to the government for State rice reserves. The aim is to ensure local food security, price stability, farmers’ income improvement and increased exportation during the Covid-19 outbreak. 

Companies need to sell and send 10 percent of the amount of rice and broken rice stated in their export declarations to the designated State-owned warehouses before their export or within one week after export. 

If the companies fail to do so, they will have their export/import registrations revoked and face legal action.