KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will submit an request to India to procure an additional 500,000 metric tons of white rice, its agriculture minister said. The request would be in addition to the 170,000 tons of white rice India has previously allocated to Malaysia for the year. India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, had restricted shipments to offset inflation and ensure food security.

According to state-run rice importer Bernas, Malaysia’s annual rice consumption is 2.5 million metric tons, with an average imported supply of 750,000 tons.

“The government will send an official request to India through diplomatic channels shortly,” Agriculture Minister Mohamad Sabu said in a Facebook post late on Wednesday, following a meeting with India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Mohamad said Malaysia had also submitted a request to India in January for 100,000 metric tons of onions through a government-to-government arrangement.