RI won't import rice: Bulog head<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Head of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog),
\nBeddu Amang, reiterated here yesterday that the government would
\nnot import rice despite the prolonged dry season.<\/p>\n
Beddu said the agency's current rice stocks of about three
\nmillion tons were sufficient to offset a possible drop in rice
\nproduction.<\/p>\n
\"The existing rice stock will be enough to face the dry season
\nuntil next March or April,\" Beddu said after reporting to
\nPresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
He said President Soeharto had urged Bulog to launch a market
\noperation in important locations to ensure prices would not
\nincrease.<\/p>\n
The President asked the agency to sell rice in market places
\nor a market operation any time without having to wait for price
\nhikes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Even if the agency has to carry out a market operation for 10
\nmonths, selling about one million of its rice stocks, it will
\nstill have a rice stock of about one million tons,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia would therefore not need to import and this would
\nsave the country's foreign exchange reserves, he said of his
\nagency's plan to cut import programs.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto appealed to the government and private
\ninstitutions to cut imports to curb a further depletion of the
\ncountry's foreign exchange reserves, which were recently severely
\nhit by the dollar rush.<\/p>\n
The rupiah has declined by over 20 percent this year, more
\nthan half of the fall took place in the last few weeks due to
\nspeculative attacks from local and fund managers.<\/p>\n
\"We have to maintain price stability. The dollar's surge
\nshould not affect commodity prices, especially those produced
\nlocally,\" he said, adding that Bulog would conduct a market
\noperation if necessary.<\/p>\n
Beddu said the crude palm oil export tax had been reduced to
\n50 percent. \"This has increased our imports,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said Bulog had received higher crude palm oil allocations
\nof 20,000 tons from 10,000 tons previously.<\/p>\n
\"The deregulation package encourages exports. Our duty to
\nstabilize local prices now becomes more difficult. We have
\ntherefore asked state-owned plantations for additional supply to
\nhelp stabilize the price,\" he said. He said prices for prime
\ncommodities like rice, soybeans and palm oil were stable. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-wont-import-rice-bulog-head-1447893297",
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