Wednesday, 7 May 2008

Rice shortage impacts on New Zealand

Radio Australia

The global rice shortage is starting to impact on New Zealand, with reports local rice merchants in Auckland have now set limits on how much customers can buy.

A New Zealand Herald report says, long and medium grain rice is still readily available in supermarkets but stocks of specialty varieties, like jasmine and basmati, are running out.

Ursula Lawrence, from New Zealand's Thai Rice Wholesalers, says her business is down to its last 25 kilogram sack of rice The company, Wholesalers Gilmours, says it too is running low and has placed a two-bag restriction on certain varieties of rice, to stop retailers from stockpiling.

The decision by India, Vietnam, Egypt, Cambodia, Brazil and China to curtail exports to protect prices at home have been blamed for the global price hike and the recent rice panic.

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