Karawang imports rice from Vietnam

Karawang imports rice from Vietnam

Karawang, West Java: Karawang, one of Indonesia's main "rice
bowl" areas, will be supplied with 13,000 tons of rice from
Vietnam soon, according to local officials.

Officials of the Karawang food logistics agency (Bulog)
however stressed that the Vietnamese rice would be used chiefly
to beef up the local rice stocks. It is not an indication that
the area has suffered from shortages, they said as reported by
the Antara news agency.

Karawang's rice stock has dwindled to 13,000 tons of rice,
well below the ideal target of 50,000 to 60,000, because local
farmers prefer to sell their rice directly to the markets where
they can obtain higher prices compared to those offered by Bulog
or local village cooperatives. (rms)