China has denied that, despite its rampant food price inflation, it will get caught up in the rice shortages and price hikes which are affecting much of Asia. The price of rice "is stable in China," according to the National Development and Reform Commission, while the Ministry of Commerce said the rice retail price has "seen a continual decline in the past week," according to state media.
Rice is a staple food for Chinese, but it only imports a small quantity
"at the high-end market," Xinhua notes, although many supermarkets
openly stock Thai and Vietnamese rice. "The amount of rice China
imports from Thailand is very small, so the higher price won't affect
the overall situation," state media quotes Li Chenggui from the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences.
Rice from Thailand and Vietnam, the world's major exporters, has seen a
sharp price increase, causing turmoil on the global market. Rice
shortages have been reported in many countries, with the cost of a
tonne of medium-grade rice from Thailand more than doubling since the
beginning of the year.
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