RI extends rice import ban until June

RI extends rice import ban until June

The government extended a ban on rice imports until June next
year, as good harvests earlier this year have boosted rice stocks
to a level sufficient to meet national demand, said a senior
official on Tuesday.

"Based on a recommendation from the Ministry of Agriculture,
the rice stock is still sufficient until June 2005, so we don't
need to import rice," Minister of Trade Mari E. Pangestu told
reporters.

Indonesia's unhusked rice output is estimated at 54.34 million
tons this year, which can yield about 33.37 million tons of
edible rice. Domestic consumption for husked rice has been
estimated at 31 million tons.

Therefore, she said, if there is not an overly rapid growth in
domestic consumption, the current rice supply should be enough to
meet national demand.

This means that Indonesia has this year become self-sufficient
for the first time since the 1980s.

In past years, the country imported about 1.8 million tons to
2 million tons of rice per year.

Previously, the government imposed rice import bans between
January and July this year to protect domestic farmers before
extending it for another six months until December, thanks to
robust harvests between February and May.

For next year, the government set a target of unhusked rice
output to stand at 54.25 million tons next year. --JP