Indonesia to swap planes for Thai sugar, rice<\/p>\n
Indonesia is planning to swap aeroplanes for rice and sugar
\nfrom Thailand in a bid to meet rising local demand for the
\ncommodities, an official from the state food agency Bulog said on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is in talks with Thailand to have a swap trade for
\nsugar and rice with aeroplanes,\" Bulog chief Widjarnarko Puspojo
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
\"The swap is needed to overcome a lack of domestic supply for
\nthe commodities,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He did not say what kind of aircraft would be used in the
\ndeal, or the volumes of rice and sugar .<\/p>\n
A similar plan was mooted in 1999 by former President B.J.
\nHabibie who sought to swap CN-235 aircraft for glutinous rice
\nfrom Thailand.<\/p>\n
But the plan was shelved amid strong opposition from the
\nparliament.<\/p>\n
The turbo propeller CN-235s were engineered by state-owned
\nplane manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, once headed by
\nHabibie.<\/p>\n
Indonesia imported about 1.2 million tonnes of sugar and 2.5
\nmillion of rice last year through private traders. -- Reuters<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-to-swap-planes-for-thai-sugar-rice-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}