August 23, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-us-Sani 24, 1424

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22: Southeast Asian agriculture ministers on Friday proposed creating emergency rice stocks for their countries to help one another through shortages of the grain, the staple food of half a billion people in the region.

Under the plan, big rice growers such as Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar would reserve a certain amount for neighbours to buy during times of crisis, while rich non-growers such as Singapore would provide loans, officials said.

It’s all about creating food security and helping a friend in need, Azmi Mat Akhir, a Malaysian official, told reporters after a two-day meeting of agricultural and forestry ministers from Asean as well as South Korea, Japan and China.

Asean, the Association of South East Asian Nations, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.—Reuters