Rice stocks will last three months: Bulog<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) has said that
\nits rice stocks currently stood at 2.1 million metric tons, or
\nonly enough to meet domestic demand for about three months.<\/p>\n
Bulog's chairman, Beddu Amang, said Wednesday that the
\nagency's existing stocks dropped from 2.5 million tons three
\nweeks ago.<\/p>\n
\"The stocks will be enough to supply domestic demand for three
\nto four months,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But Beddu ruled out a possible rice shortage in the coming
\nmonths even though Bulog was unlikely to meet its rice
\nprocurement target of 1 million tons for this year due to
\ncontinued decline in the country's rice production caused by bad
\nharvests.<\/p>\n
He said that Bulog's procurement in the January to May period
\nhas only reached 85,000 tons, down sharply from 1.2 million tons
\nin the same period last year.<\/p>\n
\"But don't worry, our stocks will increase because our rice
\nimports continue to flow in from Thailand, China and Pakistan and
\nwe are still receiving rice aid from other countries,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, the harvest season is not over yet, although the
\nresults were not as good as we expected,\" he added.<\/p>\n
However, Reuters reported early this month that Thai rice
\nexporters had stopped taking Indonesian letters of credit for
\nrice orders due to Indonesia's uncertain situation.<\/p>\n
The Thai Rice Exporters Association's president, Vorapong
\nPichpongsa, said: \"The situation in the country raises a lot of
\nquestions on risks which we are not ready to take.\"<\/p>\n
Beddu said the most important job for Bulog now is to ensure
\nsmooth distribution of important commodities, which were hampered
\nby massive riots in Jakarta two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Bulog spokesman Masjkur Sulaiman said yesterday that his
\nagency had continued its market operations throughout the city in
\nan effort to supply enough essential commodities to the market at
\nreasonable prices.<\/p>\n
He admitted that the recent riots, during which many stores,
\nsupermarkets and shopping centers throughout the capital were
\ndamaged and burned, had disturbed distribution of commodities,
\nwhich has resulted in soaring prices.<\/p>\n
\"We are focusing our market operations in traditional market
\nthroughout the city. People can buy unlimited amounts of rice at
\nRp 1,200 per kilogram in our market operation. So don't worry, we
\nwill do our best to secure an adequate supply of important
\ncommodities,\" Masjkur said.<\/p>\n
Bulog lost its monopoly to import and distribute wheat, wheat
\nflour, soybeans and sugar from Feb. 1 under the economic reform
\npackage agreed to with the International Monetary Fund.<\/p>\n
But under a supplementary memorandum signed in March, the fund
\nagreed to maintain Bulog's presence in markets outside of rice
\nbecause the private sector has yet to replace Bulog's role in
\nimporting and distributing basic commodities. (gis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rice-stocks-will-last-three-months-bulog-1447893297",
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