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Friday, June 15, 1973
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM OVER RICE SUPPLIES
The Commerce and Industry Department said today there is no
reason for the public to feel alarmed over the present position regarding
rice supplies.
A spokesman for the department pointed out that Hong Kong
had never been solely dependent on rice supplies from Thailand, but
also imported from China, Australia and the United States.
"As China is our nearest supplier, and China rice is particularly
popular here, it would be quite natural for imports from China to increase,
if supplies from other sources are curtailed," the spokesman said.
He emphasised that Hong Kong rice importers could obtain supplies
from any part of the world.
tons
Hong Kong's annual requirements - in the region of 340,000
vore only "a drop in the ocean" compared with other countries
where rice is the staple food, the spokesman said.
ie are confident, therefore, that supplies can be maintained
at a satisfactory level.
He added that the government exercised stringent control over
the rice trade to ensure that the control scheme is not abused and prices
are maintained at a reasonable level.
At the same time, however, there was currently a world-wide shortage
which had caused rice prices to increase sharply, and this must inevitably
affect Hong Kong.
However, increases elsewhere to some extent could be "cushioned"
because of the stocks that importers were required to maintain under the
control scheme.
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