MONROVIA – Rice serves as a staple food in Liberia, essential for the food security and economic stability of the population. Recognizing the critical need for accessibility, affordability, and quality, the Ministry announces new administrative guidelines to encourage broader participation in the rice market. These guidelines, which take effect from August 1, 2024, come as part of the government’s strategic initiative to diversify the commercial rice market, dominated by a limited number of enterprises, and to foster a more competitive and inclusive environment to include Liberia owned firms with the ability to import rice.
Objectives:
The guidelines are designed to:
- Create a competitive, inclusive, diversified, and resilient commercial rice import market in Liberia,
- Ensure that quality grades of rice are accessible and sold at affordable prices,
- Increase the choices of consumers,
- Encourage local entrepreneurship in the rice value chain and compliance with regulatory standards,
- Break any real or perceived monopolies in the rice market, prevent any price manipulations, and reduce dependence on a few importers for the nation’s staple food, and 6. Enable more Liberian-owned businesses to enter the commercial rice market.
The guidelines in summary
- Legal and Business Compliance: Importers must be registered, tax-compliant, and adhere to labor and immigration laws. They must also maintain a valid business registration under the specific classification for wholesale food.
- 2. Import Permit Declaration Compliance: All importers must have an approved import permit declaration form from the Ministry prior to importation of their products.
- Financial and Operational Capacity: Importers are required to demonstrate financial capability with a minimum bank guarantee or letter of credit, have a warehouse capable of storing a minimum of 5,000 metric tons of rice, and ensure continuous supply through agreements with international suppliers.
- Quality Assurance: All rice must meet quality standards verified by sample submissions to the
Ministry. Importers must also provide a detailed pricing structure for the various grades of rice to be imported.
- Staffing and Local Involvement: Importers are encouraged to include Liberian nationals in both senior and junior staffing positions to ensure local engagement and development.
- Environmental and Safety Standards: Adequate warehouse conditions, insurance, and inventory management systems are mandatory to maintain the integrity and safety of the rice supply.
Commitment to Fair Trade and Quality: These guidelines reflect our commitment to ensuring that all persons desiring to import rice into Liberia can do so and are equipped to meet high standards of quality and fairness. We urge all stakeholders to comply with these guidelines to help secure a stable, fair, and healthy market environment.
For further information on the details of these guidelines, you can obtain it on the website of the Ministry at the following link: www.moci.gov.lr
