Rice output exceeds target, RI may start to export: Official<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post\/Bandung\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The country's rice production, as of July, already surpassed
\nthe full-year output target, with one official even suggesting
\nthat Indonesia could start to export it because of an expected
\nsurplus.<\/p>\n
Unhusked rice production reached 53.67 million tons, or 0.67
\nmillion tons more than the 2004 target of 53 million tons,
\nDirector General of Agriculture and Food Crops at the Ministry of
\nAgriculture M. Jafar Hafsah said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He said that was the equivalent of 33 million tons to 34
\nmillion tons of husked rice, which was more than sufficient to
\nmeet annual domestic demand of around 31 million tons.<\/p>\n
\"We now have a surplus of around 3 million tons that we could
\nkeep as buffer stock or, even better, for export,\" he told a
\nmedia conference in Bandung.<\/p>\n
Jafar expected that total unhusked rice production could
\nfurther increase to around 54 million tons this year depending on
\nthe weather during the remainder of the year.<\/p>\n
\"A good harvest was possible due to improvements in irrigation
\nand fertilization,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The exportation of rice, however, might be quite a challenge
\nfor Indonesia as the local rice price is higher, at Rp 2,500 to
\nRp 3,000 per kilogram, while the international price ranges from
\nRp 2,000 to Rp 2,400 per kilogram, Tungkot Sipayung, special
\nassistant to the Minister of Agriculture, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"There is no way we could compete with that (international)
\nprice as we have no funds available to subsidize exports,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Tungkot said, the government might opt to export in
\nthe form of rice loans to other countries under South-to-South or
\nbilateral cooperation.<\/p>\n
Malaysia, Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea were likely targets
\nas they had a rice consumption per capita similar to Indonesia's,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Last year, Indonesia, with its population of 220 million
\npeople, consumed 135 kilograms (kg) of rice per capita, he said.<\/p>\n
The nation first reached self-sufficiency in rice in 1984, but
\nthe following year started to import rice again to meet domestic
\nneeds because of declining output. Imports hit a record 6 million
\ntons at the peak of the economic crisis in 1998. They then
\ndeclined to 1.8 million tons to 2 million tons annually in the
\nfollowing years.<\/p>\n
The government, since early this year, has banned rice imports
\nin a bid to protect local farmers from cheaper rice imports. The
\nimport ban will be maintained until at least the end of this
\nyear.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rice-output-exceeds-target-ri-may-start-to-export-official-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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