The Supply Ministry is looking to double the country’s rice production this harvest season to 6.5 mn tonnes, up from 5.1 mn tonnes last year, Reuters reports. Strategic rice reserves are also expected to increase over the next 10 days to fulfill domestic needs for 12 months, up from four months currently, an unnamed ministry source says. El Moselhy had said on Monday that the Sherif Ismail government will maintain the ban on rice exports until local needs are covered and also allow rice prices for the coming marketing season to float freely and be determined by market forces.

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