Minister inspects rice arrival at Tanjung Priok

Minister inspects rice arrival at Tanjung Priok

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto
made an impromptu inspection at Tanjung Priok port in North
Jakarta yesterday to check on rice being unloaded from Thailand.

During the inspection the minister visited pier 202 and 114,
where a vessel named Yun Hua of Thailand was docked. Minister
Haryanto asked the ship's captain to comment on the unloading
process in Indonesia, to which he replied: "The process is good
and we are able to discharge 2,000 to 3,000 tons of rice a day."

The Antara news agency reported that since January, Tanjung
Priok port has discharged around 172,300 tons of rice from
various countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam
and Taiwan.

Rice is being imported to meet the national rice demand during
the Moslem fasting month of Ramadhan and the Idul Fitri
festivities.

The minister said the unloading process will doubtfully be
hindered by transportation problems and he ordered the National
Logistic Agency (Bulog) to open all of its warehouses for 24
hours.

He warned, however, that if the rice arrived too late at the
markets, then its price will be affected.

During the inspection Haryanto was accompanied by Tanjung
Priok Port Chief Soenardjo and Amir Harbani, the president of PT
Pelabuhan Indonesia II, a state-owned port company. (mas)