The government has announced it will provide an additional 25-thousand tons of rice amid a continued increase in rice prices. 

The agriculture ministry said Friday that it will supply an additional 25-thousand tons of rice from its reserves to private companies on a loan basis in efforts to stabilize prices. 

The move comes after the government supplied 30-thousand tons of rice in a similar way starting on August 25. 

The ministry said more than half of the previously supplied rice had already been sold, with the remaining stock expected to be depleted within two weeks.

As of Thursday, the average retail price for 20 kilograms of rice was 61-thousand-93 won, up 19-point-six percent from last year and 15-point-four percent higher than previous years.