New Delhi, Mar 28 (KNN) Malaysia is set to submit a request to India for an additional 500,000 metric tonnes of white rice, according to the country's Agriculture Minister Mohamad Sabu.

The request comes on top of the 170,000 tonnes of white rice that India has previously allocated to Malaysia for the current year.

India, the world's largest rice exporter, had imposed restrictions on shipments to curb inflation and ensure domestic food security.

According to Bernas, the state-run rice importer, Malaysia's annual rice consumption stands at 2.5 million metric tonnes, with an average imported supply of 750,000 tonnes.

In a Facebook post late on Wednesday, following a meeting with India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Mohamad Sabu stated that the Malaysian government would send an official request to India through diplomatic channels shortly.

The Agriculture Minister also revealed that Malaysia had submitted a request to India in January for 100,000 metric tonnes of onions through a government-to-government arrangement.

As a major rice importer, Malaysia relies heavily on supplies from countries like India to meet its domestic demand for the staple grain.

(KNN Bureau)