The National Food Agency (Bapanas) has commented on the Ministry of Trade's plan to import 1 million tons of rice from India. The Head of Bapanas, Arief Prasetyo Adi, stated that they do not have an issue with the import plan as long as it is conducted through an agreement without Bapanas involvement. Arief also mentioned that the import is considered legitimate because the trade balance is only known by the Ministry of Trade of both Indonesia and India.
However, Arief stated that the decision regarding the addition of 1 million tons of rice import by the Ministry of Trade has not been finalized in the limited meeting with relevant ministries and institutions. If the decision is made to proceed with the import, Bapanas will provide updates accordingly. The plan for additional imports is seen as a precautionary measure due to the potential impact of extreme weather conditions, such as El Nino, which could threaten Indonesia. In times of low rice stocks within the country, the option to increase imports would be implemented.
