Agriculture Minister Reaffirms Plan to Import 1,000 Tonnes of Rice from the United States
Jakarta, ANTARA — Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman has reaffirmed that the plan to import 1,000 tonnes of rice from the United States does not conflict with the claim of self-sufficiency, because the quantity is very small and is intended specifically for foreign tourists visiting Indonesia.
“That will only be imported if it goes ahead; even then it would be a specialised rice, specifically the basmati variety to suit the tastes of visiting tourists and incoming investors,” Amran said, as confirmed during the launch event of poultry exports and their by-products totalling 545 tonnes worth Rp18.2 billion to Japan, Singapore and Timor-Leste in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He explained that the rice planned for import is a specialised basmati variety to meet the needs of a particular market, not general consumption rice for the Indonesian public.
The specialised rice is intended for the restaurant and hotel segments, as well as for foreign tourists and investors who prefer flavours different from local rice.
“Because the taste is for our visiting tourists,” Amran added.
“As for Haj, people like soft, fluffy rice such as pulen, inpari, Cianjur,” he elaborated.
He also highlighted plans to export 2,280 tonnes of rice in the near future to Saudi Arabia as an indicator of the government’s confidence in domestic production. The rice will be exported to meet the consumption needs of prospective Indonesian Haj pilgrims in the Holy Land.
According to him, the export volume is in fact larger than the planned import, so the public should view the rice trade balance in a holistic and proportional manner.
The rice to be exported is premium domestic rice of high quality with competitiveness in international markets. The export will be carried out by Perum Bulog.
Small but notable
Minister emphasised that national rice stock managed by Perum Bulog is currently abundant, reaching nearly four million tonnes. Compared with total reserves, the 1,000-tonne import plan is small and therefore not significant to national food security.
The minister noted that ample stock illustrates Indonesia has achieved rice self-sufficiency and can meet domestic needs independently.
“We must be rational. Do not let sentiment guide us. The import of 1,000 tonnes will seem like a ghost, but what we are exporting is what we are discussing now,” Amran said.
This rice import is part of a reciprocity trade agreement with the United States. In the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) document, Indonesia will import agricultural commodities worth US$4.5 billion.