In Singapore, rice of all description is a controlled item under the Price Control (Rice) Order 1990 of the Price Control Act (Chapter 244). The Government requires an importer to apply for a licence, obtainable from Enterprise Singapore.

Enterprise Singapore is the administrative arm of the Rice Stockpile Scheme (RSS). It issues licences for importers, processes import permits and enforces the import and stockpile obligations by importers. The management of the rice stockpile scheme as well as the licensing of both the stockpile and non-stockpile rice importers is under the control of Enterprise Singapore, a statutory Board under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade & Industry.

The import and distribution of rice for domestic sale or consumption are carried out by the importers and traders in the private sector. Importers and wholesalers of rice must be separately licensed.

A Rice Stockpile Scheme is currently operated under the legal framework for the Price Control Act (Cap 244) and the Price Control (Rice) Order 1990. Each rice importer of a stockpile grade is required to apply for a licence and to participate in the RSS. The Scheme ensures there should be an adequate supply of rice in the market.

Under the RSS, all White Rice, Basmati Rice, Ponni Rice and Parboiled Rice are classified as stockpile grade rice. Importers of white rice, basmati rice, ponni rice and parboiled rice for local distribution must join the RSS as licensed stockpile participants. Stockpile participants have to pre-commit on the quantity that they wish to import monthly for local distribution. This monthly amount is known as the Monthly Import Quantity (MIQ) which can be adjusted under certain conditions and notice period, driven by market forces. The minimum MIQ for white rice is 50 tonnes. There is no minimum MIQ for basmati rice, ponni rice and parboiled rice.

The stockpile participant must also keep a Stockpile Quantity (SQ) in a government-designated warehouse. The Stockpile Quantity is twice the MIQ for white rice and twice the average monthly import quantity for ponni rice, parboiled rice and basmati rice. The Stockpile Quantity shall be constantly replaced with new stock and shall not be kept in the government-designated warehouses for more than a year. Each stockpile participant is expected to rotate their stocks.

The ownership of the rice belongs to the individual stockpile participant, although the Government has the right to acquire the rice (with compensation) during an emergency.

The Singapore Storage & Warehouse Pte Ltd (SSW) is the designated warehouse operator for the stockpile rice. Apart from the Prescribed Stockpile Quantity (PSQ) that is kept in SSW’s warehouses, the stockpile participants can keep their trading or excess stocks in their own warehouses or in SSW’s warehouses.

For all rice consignments, importers/exporters are to obtain a customs permit through TradeNet before the goods arrive in/depart from Singapore. Rice importers can sell either to wholesalers or directly to retailers. The stockpile participants may establish their own local distribution network.