The Trade Ministry of Indonesia has announced that the country may import an additional 500,000 tonnes of rice from foreign sources this year to replenish the decreasing government rice reserves. This statement is made in spite of the government's previous import of 500,000 tonnes of rice from countries like Thailand, Pakistan, and Vietnam, starting from last December.

According to Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, the government is proposing this option since the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) currently only has around 25% of the required minimum reserves of 1.2 million tonnes. During a recent session with Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, the minister stated that the government has decided to import as many as 500,000 tonnes whenever necessary, based on a meeting with the President. However, he added that the government will not consider rice importation in the near future as the harvest season is approaching, and foreign rice imports may impact domestic prices.

Despite the government's import of rice since late 2022 and recent interventions by Bulog in the market, the price of rice in Indonesia has continued to increase since the start of the year. Budi Waseso, Head of Bulog, said that the agency has already distributed about 230,000 tonnes or nearly half of the imported 500,000 tonnes to stabilise prices. He pledged to continue distribution to meet the demand of retailers and traditional markets, emphasising that rice imports are only licensed in emergency cases.

Source:
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/indonesia-may-import-another-500000-tonnes-of-rice-in-2023/250109.vnp