The United Commodities Inc. UCI, one of the leading importers of rice in Liberia has announced that it has resumed the importation of rice and has promised that there will be no more shortage of the pink bag on the Liberian market.
A press release from the United Commodities Inc. indicates that CEO Anwar EZZEDINE has given the assurance that there will be no more shortage of the PINK BAG RED STAR that is exclusively imported by UCI.
“UCI (United Commodities Inc) resumed importation of rice (Pink Bag Red Star) is on the Liberian market again. Mr. Anwar Ezzedine assured the Liberian consumer that there would be no further shortage of pink bags. UCI has always been one of the leading importers of rice for the past 15 years.” The press release says.
In October last year, rice importers slowed on the importation of rice due to their failure in convincing the government to augment the price in order to enable them recover the cost of buying and transporting the commodity in the country. Several meetings between the importers and the Ministry of Commerce were fruitless in finding a common ground.
The rice began to get scarce on the market thus leading to a long queue of buyers at retail stores throughout the country. The population started grumbling on rumors that there is rice shortage in the country.
Realizing the impact of such rumors, the Ministry of Commerce decided to take the bull by the horn and announced as false and misleading, rumors of rice shortage.
“The attention of the of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has immediately been drawn to increasing speculations, pointing to shortage of Liberia’s staple food, rice, when the Country’s current rice inventory shows that such speculations are far from the reality.” The Ministry of Commerce said in a press release.
Negotiation between importers and the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Commerce continued in October and November, and finally the Government decided to increase the rice from 13 usd to 17.5 usd per 25 kg bag of rice.
Following this increase, the importers decided to resume the importation of the commodity on the Liberian market.
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