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)