Rice is considered a ‘political commodity’ in Liberia. “It is the Executive Order that stops LRA from levying tariff on this sensitive commodity. If there is no renewal and importers begin importing, it means there will be tariff levied which will consequently affect the price of rice on the market for the ordinary buyers,” an LRA source indicated. Currently a 25-kg bag of rice is sold on the local market for L$2,600 and sellers are of the view that there may be possible increase in the existing price due to the exchange rate between the Liberian Dollar and the United States Dollar. Liberia is a heavy importer of rice, and the commodity comes from India, Thailand and China.

Source: Daily Observer January 29, 2020 02:26 UTC