Rice Price Reduced

-Minister Wilson Tarpeh Asserts

The Minister of Commerce & Industry (MOCI), Wilson Tarpeh has announced the reduction in the price of Liberia’s staple food, rice on the local market.

Min. Wilson Tarpeh

Appearing before members of the House of Representatives Tuesday, Minister Tarpeh informed members of that august body that the price of 50 Kg bag of rice has been reduced since President George M. Weah met with rice importers of Liberia.

The Commerce Minister and rice importers were summoned by members of the House of Representatives to give reason why they should not be held in Legislative contempt for not implementing the February decision which called on all importers to reduce their prices of rice.

It can be recalled when President George M. Weah was inducted into office, he had a meeting with members of the rice importers of Liberia wherein he requested them to reduce the price of Liberia’s most consumable goods, rice.

But since the meeting, Liberians are yet to get the impact of the ‘reduction’ that was requested by President Weah.

Addressing members of the House of Representatives, the Commerce Minister said they have agreed and decided that the rice price reduced to meet the agenda of the Weah led government.

He informed the plenary of the House of Representatives that from their meeting, 25 kg bag of rice that was sold for 15 United States Dollars will drop to USD 13 for wholesale while the retail price will be 13.50

This delay on the part of the Minister of Commerce and rice importers claimed the attention of the people’s direct representatives thus allowing them to perform their oversight responsibility by inviting them to give reasons to their delay action.

Commenting on the delay, Minister Tarpeh said the action was not deliberate but they were finding means to ensure that when the full implementation starts no importer backslide on the agreement.

One of the issues raised by lawmakers was the purchasing of rice in the US currency, something that Minister Tarpeh asked lawmakers to give him the support that he will mandate rice importers to accept the Liberian dollars during trading interactions.

Rice importers companies that appeared before that august body were the K and K, Futa Corporation, Harmony and they all agreed to comply with the decision from the president and the Minister of Commerce.

Members of the House of Representatives in their wisdom saw it prudent to mandate its committee on Commerce to work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, rice importers to ensure that reduction of rice price takes effective.