RI gears up for rice imports<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (Dow Jones)--Indonesia is preparing to import between
\n1 million and 1.5 million metric tons of rice next year if the El
\nNino weather phenomenon affects domestic output, the state food
\nlogistics agency, Bulog, said Thursday.<\/p>\n
This year's rice production is set to total 28.1 million tons,
\nwith 26 million tons in projected local consumption, Mulyo Sidik,
\na senior official at Bulog, told Dow Jones Newswires.<\/p>\n
But domestic rice production is likely to decline around 5
\npercent next year amid concern that El Nino will cause a major
\ndrought in March or April, while at the same time consumption
\nwill rise, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Rice consumption next year will increase 1.5 percent-2.0
\npercent, and if El Nino comes, our stock isn't enough. Bulog will
\nimport to add to our stock,\" Sidik said.<\/p>\n
Bulog's rice stocks are set to decline to 500,000 tons by the
\nend of this year, from 1.9 million tons currently, Mulyo said.<\/p>\n
Bulog has no plans to import rice this year.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-gears-up-for-rice-imports-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }