Govt Delays Rice Import
13 May 2015 17:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sofyan Djalil, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, said that rice imports will not be decided anytime soon. He made sure that there is still enough rice for the people's need during Ramadan and Eid.
Even if Indonesia need to import rice, he said, it would only be done to make sure there is enough supply for the year-end and early 2016. The decision for that, he said, will be made around July.
"We will only import if the supply for domestic consumption is low," he said. The government plans to import rice to face the fasting month and Lebaran. Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel said the move was made to maintain price stability.
The government had planned to import rice to supply for Ramadan and Eid. Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel this is also done to maintain price stability.
Yesterday, Gobel said that the local rice stock is still enough until Ramadan. Personally, he wants to make import a last option w import options, he said when attending the National Consumers' Day celebrations at the National Monument.
Muhson, head of public relations at the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), said that there is enough rice stock for the next few months. He said Bulog currently distributes some 240,000 tons of rice per month, which is "enough for four months."
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