KUALA LUMPUR: The country's rice supply is sufficient to cover domestic needs for another four to five months and there is no urgent need to use the stockpile, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.

He said the country now has a stockpile of 900,000 metric tonnes of rice, consisting of 250,000 metric tonnes of government stockpiles and 650,000 metric tonnes of commercial stock.

"As such, the ministry is of the view that there is still no urgent need to use the stockpile (buffer stock) amounting to 250,000 metric tonnes.

"The existing commercial stock of 650,000 metric tonnes is sufficient to cover domestic needs," he said when winding up the debate on the motion for the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Commenting on the increase in the price of rice, he said the increase only involved imported white rice (BPI), while the price of local white rice remained at RM2.60 per kilogramme.