Jakarta: The Indonesian Trade Ministry has issued a permit for the import of 1.6 million tons of rice to secure the Government’s Rice Reserve (CBP).
Director General of Domestic Trade at the ministry, Isy Karim, said that the import approval would augment the rice imports of two million tons determined previously by the government.
“The ministry has issued import approvals for Bulog assignments. The first is with two million tons of rice for this year, and now for the additional 1.6 million tons. The import approval has also been issued,” he informed during the Coordination Meeting for Securing Food Supply and Prices Ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in Jakarta on Monday.
Based on a report from state logistics agency Bulog, the realization of rice imports has reached 500 thousand tons so far.
Karim said that the additional rice imports are necessary to maintain the availability of food supplies ahead of the National Religious Holidays (HBKN).
Based on a survey conducted by the ministry, demand is expected to surge by up to 45.13 percent during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
So far, there has been a dip in rice prices only at the wholesale market level, Karim informed adding, no significant decline has been recorded in traditional markets.
