GOVT YET TO DECIDE ON EXPORTING RICE: MINISTER

Jakarta, Jan 9 (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said the government had not yet decided to export rice as no plan about it had been discussed at the economic coordinating minister's office.
"No plan to export rice has been discussed at the office of the coordinating minister for economic affairs," Pangestu said on the sidelines of the popularization of a trade minister's decree which required the use of a letter of credit (L/C) for the import of agriculture and mining product here on Friday.
In connection with the decree, the minister said rice exports were not required to use L/C because the rice market share was relatively small.
Director general for external trade Diah Maulida said Indonesia had actually been exporting special rice, namely black sticky rice, carried out by a private company.
"Exports of black sticky rice have been carried out since in the past several months," Maulida said.
Exports of medium rice can only be carried out after a decision is made in a special meeting at the office of the coordinating minister for economic affairs, she said.
"Indonesia has been exporting black sticky rice since in the last six months. A trade minister's decree which allows the export of 10 tons of the commodity has been issued. But for the export of regular rice, no decision has been made," the director general said.
Previously, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said if the rice production target was achieved, Indonesia could export some two million tons of rice this year.
The exports of good quality rice could actually been carried out without the need to wait for the realization of rice production in 2009 which is estimated at 43 million tons.
The minister said a number of countries had expressed interests in importing rice from Indonesia, such as Timor Leste, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Director of State Logistics Board (Bulog) Mustafa Abubakar has also said that there had been plan to export 10-20 thousand tons of good quality rice to Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.***2***