Yangon—The Commerce Ministry plans to buy 50,000 tons of rice and 12,000 tons of palm oil for the emergency rations and distribute rice and palm oil to the regions and states, said Union Minister for Commerce Dr. Than Myint.

The ministry held a series of discussion with the associations and entrepreneurs on the purchase of palm oil. The ministry plans to store palm oil in the jerrycan as the ministry has no oil tank for the storage of palm oil.

In accordance with the directives of the Central Committee for Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19, the ministry will carry out the distribution of them, said Dr. Than Myint at a virtual coordination meeting on the purchase of palm oil on 12 May.

The central committee has put medical equipment, medicines and foodstuff on the list of important goods. The Commerce Ministry issued a notification dated 30 March, placing a ban on overpricing, distribution and the storage of these goods for the purpose of price manipulation.