Rice Trade: an industry rich with history and tradition. Since the inception of Hong Kong as a trading port, the industry has been supplying the general public with its staple food. In 1919, a group of industry leaders founded The Rice Merchants’ Union, which was subsequently renamed as The Rice Merchants’ Association of Hong Kong in 1937.

In 1941, during the Second World War, Hong Kong suffered devastation wrecked by war. Houses were deserted, and businesses were closed. The affairs of the Association were interrupted, and unfortunately all official records and documents were lost.

Peace returned in 1945 and in early 1948, the late Mr. Chiu Lut-Sau, OBE, JP and Mr. Tang Hoi initiated the revival of the Association. Mr. Chiu Lut-Sau, OBE, JP provided temporary office of the Association, and together with Mr. Yeung Wing Yau, Mr. Chan Wah San, Mr. Chan Tsz Hing, Mr. Chan Him Ting and Mr. Jim Chuen Kwan, the seven patrons donated funds. The number of members increased from 16 to 20, and the Association applied for registration with the Hong Kong Government and officially registered as The Rice Merchants’ Association of Hong Kong Limited in 1951.

In January 1955, the Hong Kong Government implemented the Rice Control Scheme, which stipulated that rice was a reserved commodity and importers and wholesalers were required to be registered. At that time, there were 39 registered wholesalers, all of which were members of the Association. By 1968, there were 36 registered wholesalers, of which 33 were members of Association. In the late 1990s, the Hong Kong Government began to implement measures to liberalize the rice trade. Starting from January 2001, 17 wholesalers successfully applied to become rice stockholders. Since January 2003, the Hong Kong Government opened the market for the rice trade, and the Association evolved from a wholesaler organization to include members in rice import operations, wholesale as well as retail, which has provided a full range of services to the public. Since 2002, to better reflect the actual demand of Hong Kong, the rice reserved stock required to be maintained by rice stockholders reduced from the pre-liberalization of 45,000 tonnes, equivalent to 45 days of consumption by the people of Hong Kong, to 13,500 tonnes, equivalent to 15 days of consumption.

Over a century, Hong Kong has been the centre of entrepot between the East and the West, with almost no local production of rice. Historically, the amount of rice produced in the New Territories was minimal and insufficient to meet the local needs of Hong Kong. However, as with the saying “food is fundamental to all people”, white rice is the staple food of the people. Since Hong Kong relies on a large quantity of imported supply, the rice trade remains an important industry in Hong Kong. The Association has always served as a wholesaler organization, cooperating with Hong Kong Government to implement control policies and playing a bridging role in relaying concerns between parties, making every effort to ensure that there is no shortage of rice supply and that prices remain stable, thereby fulfilling its social responsibilities. The development of the Association has also witnessed the modern history of the rice trade in Hong Kong.

To commemorate the hard work of its predecessors, the Association shall stay committed to carrying forward its founding principles. Let us go forward together with mutual encouragement.

Kenneth CHAN Kin-Nin
Chairman of The Rice Merchants’ Association of Hong Kong