Bulog rejects rice swap deal

Bulog rejects rice swap deal

JAKARTA (JP): The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) will resist
the government's proposal to exchange Indonesia's CN 235
airplanes with rice from Thailand, chief Widjanarko Puspoyo said
on Thursday.

"Currently, our rice supply is good, so it would be better if
the planned deal were postponed to a later time. And if the
government insists on continuing with the swap, the airplanes
should be exchanged with other commodities, like sugar," he told
a media conference as quoted by Antara.

As earlier reported, state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT
Dirgantara Indonesia had planned to set up the deal, via the
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, with the Thai
government.

Two CN 235 airplanes would be exchanged for Thailand's
agricultural products -- rice, sugar and tapioca.

Widjanarko said the rejection against the proposed deal was
part of efforts to protect farmers who have already been hit by
the abundance of imported rice.(imn)