Government to Import 1,000 Tonnes of US Rice: Zulhas Clarifies It Is Specialist Rice, Not for General Consumption
JAKARTA – The government has explained that its plan to import 1,000 tonnes of rice from the United States is not for everyday consumption needs. The rice being imported is described as specialist rice with a limited market segment and relatively high prices.
“The rice import concerns specialist rice,” said Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan following a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, 2 March.
He emphasised that the rice in question is not ordinary rice consumed by the general public.
“It’s like Japanese rice, there is specialist rice,” he stated.
“Specialist rice includes varieties for people with diabetes, for instance. We are clearly not talking about rice for our regular consumption,” he continued.
The import volume is described as relatively small, at only 1,000 tonnes. The government has assured that this policy will not affect national rice supply or prices as it targets a specific market niche.
According to him, importing specialist rice is not new practice. Indonesia also has similar arrangements with Japan, particularly to meet the needs of Japanese restaurants requiring rice with specific specifications that are not mass-produced domestically.
“It’s expensive, more than Rp 100,000 per kilogramme, right? Who would buy it?” he asked rhetorically.
“Only those eating at Japanese restaurants would buy it,” he added.
He reiterated that this policy does not stem from inadequate domestic rice production to meet local demand, but rather because the specialist rice market is extremely limited and commands high prices.
“Japanese rice costs around Rp 100,000 per kilogramme,” he noted.
The government has assured that importing 1,000 tonnes of rice from the United States will not disrupt the national rice market. The imported rice is intended for specific needs, not to replace domestic rice that constitutes the consumption of the majority of Indonesia’s population.