The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs expressed its opposition to the proposed revision to the Grain Management Act and the Act of Distribution and Price Stabilization of Agricultural and Fishery Products, citing concerns over negative effects.
 
The ministry on Thursday argued that if the government is forced to purchase surplus rice, the oversupply structure will worsen, adding that due to the enormous financial resources used to maintain the system, it will be difficult to secure budgets for future agricultural development projects.
 
The agriculture ministry has supported the idea that prices of rice and agricultural products should be stabilized through management of supply and demand instead of a revision of the relevant act.
 
The comments come after a parliamentary committee dominated by the main opposition Democratic Party(DP), directly tabled the controversial grain bill, which would require the government to purchase surplus rice, to a plenary parliamentary session.