Colombia To Store
250,000 Tons Of Rice To
Face Food Shortage
The Colombian government
announced Wednesday that
it will store between
200,000-250,000 tons of
rice to face an eventual
food shortage that has
already occurred in some
countries, local media
reported.
Colombian Agriculture
Minister Andres Arias
said that 25 billion
pesos (some 14.7 million
U.S. dollars) will be
earmarked to maintain
the food price.
"We are going to store
between 200,000-250,000
tons to protect Colombia
against food shortage,
the government pays for
the storage and the
producer will receive a
stable price for the
product, (so) it's good
news for rice producers
and consumers," Arias
said.
The initiative was
published after Ecuador
applied restrictions to
the sale of basic food
staples for Colombians
living in the border
area, based on the
argument that there is a
shortage of flour, yucca
and banana.
Arias added the country
would provide the stored
rice if there is such a
need on the market.
|
|
