The Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday that prices for rice were expected to remain stable despite a looming water shortage in central and southern areas, which has prompted the council to temporarily shut down nearly 15,000 hectares of rice paddies in Chiayi County.
The closure is expected to affect up to 80,000 tonnes, or 10 percent of total rice production for the season, officials said, but added that an abundant harvest last year, coupled with ample supplies in government stockpiles, would help prevent price increases in the near term.
The nation produced and imported nearly 1.42 million tonnes of rice last year, with total consumption reaching around 1.3 million tonnes.
Officials said the government’s stockpile of rice currently stands at 380,000 tonnes, more than the safety guideline of 300,000 tonnes.
Council data showed that the wholesale price for rice dropped about 11 percent from the same period last year, from NT$36.01 to NT$32.02 per kilogram.
In related news, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) yesterday said it was considering using Kaohsiung County’s Kao-Ping Great Lake (高屏大湖) to help alleviate a water shortage in parts of the south.
WRA Deputy Director-General Wu Yueh-hsi (吳約西) said that this could boost water supply in the area by up to 28 million tonnes, similar to a small-scale reservoir.
However, he said the agency would first work to gain local approval before construction work would begin.
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