Worrying rice price rise

One kilogram of white rice costs in average 1200 Ariaries all over Madagascar’s main cities. The price has risen by 3% during the latest weeks.

Rice prices usually rise by the end of the year, namely since stocks are running off in Madagascar. The year 2010 will be no different. Time for Asian rice trade is coming. Far less quantities are to be expected from Asian however, due to floods in Pakistan.

This event’s related panic equally contributed to price rises in the Great Isle. The country is importing some 200 000 tons of white rice from Asia every year in order to fill up the local production’s gaps.

Malagasy people are consuming some 2 Million tons of rice a year. Consumption per household has slightly been going down decade after decade, namely in big cities, namely due to induced changes in consumption habits in the wealthy and middle classes