Rice Import Required to Maintain Year-End Inventory
12 October 2015 19:04 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) says imported rice from Vietnam is needed to maintain the year-end inventory, especially when Indonesia is amid experiencing prolonged drought or El nino which is affecting domestic products.
JK claims that the matter corresponds with the meeting result between ministers and President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) sometime ago. “Essentially to avoid difficulties in the upcoming November and December,” said JK.
The plan to import rice has previously been conveyed by the Vice President and says that the government will soon import rice. Based on the calculations of the Logistics Agency, rice supplies will not be adequate until December 2015.
The plan was debated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Jokowi said that until the end of September, it has been nearly a year since rice demands can be met by farmers’ product.
On the contrary, the Vietnamese government claimed to have won the tender to supply nearly 1 million ton of rice to Indonesia. The statement was addressed by the local Industry and Trade Ministry.
According to Reuters, the tender to supply rice to Indonesia was agreed shortly after Vietnam had also decided to supply 450,000 tons of rice to Philippine. Philippine was in desperate need of up to 750,000 tons of rice to meet the local needs until the end of the year.
FAIZ NASHRILLAH
