ID :
172085
Thu, 03/31/2011 - 07:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/172085
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GOVT TO STOP IMPORTING RICE AS OF MARCH 31
Medan, N Sumatra, March 31 (ANTARA) - The government looks set to stop importing rice as of March 31, citing the ongoing grand harvest and adequate stocks.
"Rice imports will be stopped because they are no longer needed. Right now rice stocks are enough as almost all the country`s main rice-producing regions see grand harvest," Deputy Agriculture Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said following a dialog with the national logistics agency (Bulog) and its working partners here on Wednesday.
The dialog was designed to find problems related to rice trading in North Sumatra.
Krisnamurthi said the current rice stocks were enough to meet consumption for five to six months ahead.
On a national scale, since the government issued permits to rice importers some time ago rice imports had reached 1.6 million to 1.7 million tons. The rice imports had been used to build national stocks including market operations to keep down the rising rice prices, he said.
"Rice stocks are really safe. Even rice stocks in some regions such as North Sumatra are very safe or enough to meet consumption until the end of this year due to the ongoing harvest. So there will be no problem if the rice imports are stopped," he said.
He said six ships carrying 25,000 tons of imported rice were on their way to Belawan port in Medan. It would not be problem even if the rice imported by the North Sumatra branch of Bulog would arrive at the port after March 31.
"What we will stop is rice imports conducted as of March 31 because we have decided to stop importing rice," he said.
(S012/A/H-NG/B)
"Rice imports will be stopped because they are no longer needed. Right now rice stocks are enough as almost all the country`s main rice-producing regions see grand harvest," Deputy Agriculture Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said following a dialog with the national logistics agency (Bulog) and its working partners here on Wednesday.
The dialog was designed to find problems related to rice trading in North Sumatra.
Krisnamurthi said the current rice stocks were enough to meet consumption for five to six months ahead.
On a national scale, since the government issued permits to rice importers some time ago rice imports had reached 1.6 million to 1.7 million tons. The rice imports had been used to build national stocks including market operations to keep down the rising rice prices, he said.
"Rice stocks are really safe. Even rice stocks in some regions such as North Sumatra are very safe or enough to meet consumption until the end of this year due to the ongoing harvest. So there will be no problem if the rice imports are stopped," he said.
He said six ships carrying 25,000 tons of imported rice were on their way to Belawan port in Medan. It would not be problem even if the rice imported by the North Sumatra branch of Bulog would arrive at the port after March 31.
"What we will stop is rice imports conducted as of March 31 because we have decided to stop importing rice," he said.
(S012/A/H-NG/B)
