RI rice crop in 1995 estimated at 49m tons

RI rice crop in 1995 estimated at 49m tons

HAMBURG (Reuter): Indonesia's 1995 rice (unhusked) crop was
estimated at 49 million tons, up 3.89 percent from last year,
agriculture minister Syarifudin Baharsyah told Reuters.

He would not comment on the full year outlook for imports but
said this production figure was "quite high."

State commodities regulator BULOG put first half 1995 imports
at 1.3 million tons.

The minister said imports were made to stabilize domestic
prices rather than fill supply gaps.

"Whether we buy or sell is decided according to the national
stocks situation," he said.

He defended the role of BULOG which has come under criticism
from within the country and the World Bank.

"BULOG is not setting prices, it is working through the
market, it buys from farmers when certain floor prices are
reached," he said, adding such practices could be found
throughout the world.