Taiwan’s Agriculture and Food Agency says there’s enough rice to last the country nine months. Officials say there’s no need for the public to hoard goods.
An employee at a rice company is up early packing merchandise and shipping it off to customers. Business is booming. People have been shopping and stocking up on goods to prepare for what might come of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Orders are coming in from both retailers and online customers. The company also operates its own storefront, which has seen a boom in business as well. One employee says they’re experiencing a 20% increase in sales overall.
A representative from another company says that his day-to-day business has grown three- to five-fold.
The surge in business might be good for the economy, but the Agriculture and Food Agency is reminding people not to worry. They say that Taiwan has more than 900,000 tons of rice stored away. Taiwan usually goes through an average of 100,000 tons of rice a month, meaning current supplies can last nine months.
Furthermore, Taiwan’s first rice harvest of the year will take place in May, producing nearly 1.2 million tons of rice.