Indonesia to Import 500 Thousand Tons of Rice

The Bulog Public Corporation (Perum Bulog) has received an assignment from the National Food Agency (Bapanas) to import as much as 500,000 tons of rice.

IDXChannel - The Bulog Public Corporation (Perum Bulog) has received an assignment from the National Food Agency (Bapanas) to import as much as 500,000 tons of rice in order to maintain the Government's Rice Reserves (CBP).

The Assignment Letter of the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi to Perum Bulog was issued on March 24, 2023.  The decision was made after a meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"We have assigned Perum Bulog to procure government rice reserves (CBP) from abroad amounting to 2 million tons by the end of December 2023. The procurement of the first 500,000 tons will be carried out as soon as possible," Arief wrote in the letters, as quoted on Monday (27/3/2023).

Nevertheless, in the letter, Arief also emphasized that Bapanas still asked Perum Bulog to optimize the absorption of domestic production, especially during the March-May 2023 harvest period.

The policy was also confirmed by the Corporate Secretary of Perum Bulog Awaludin Iqbal.

"That's right, 2 million tons of rice for one year, in stages, the first phase is 500,000 tons," he said when contacted by MNC Portal Indonesia (MPI).

Previously, the Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan admitted that rice prices had not been reduced until now. In fact, the prices tend to rise during Ramadan.

During a Working Meeting with the Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on 15 March, he revealed the increase in rice prices had reached Rp1,000 per kilogram (kg). 

"We haven't managed to get the rice prices down to this day. In fact, the prices tend to go up," he explained.

Therefore, based on the results of the meeting with President Jokowi, if conditions on the ground continue as they are today, the government will again import 500 thousand tons of rice.

"Because Bulog's stock is usually 2.2 million tons, now if I'm not mistaken, maybe only 300 thousand tons are left," said Trade Minister Zulhas.

(WHY)