Rice import depends on stock: Beddu

JAKARTA (JP): Inadequate domestic production will force the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) to continue importing rice this year to strengthen its stocks, which fell to low levels earlier this year.

Bulog Chairman Beddu Amang said yesterday in a hearing with the House of Representatives that the size of the rice import will depend on the level of stocks held by the agency.

"Bulog so far this year has managed to increase its buffer stock of rice to around 1.2 million tons," he said.

Official sources said recently that Bulog's buffer stock fell to less than 200,000 tons earlier this year, before the appointment of Beddu as its chairman.

Beddu acknowledged yesterday that Bulog imported a large amount of rice last year due to a sharp decline in the country's rice production but he did not want the import figure published.

The Central Bureau of Statistics said last week that the country's rice production fell 3.2 percent to 46.64 million tons of unhusked rice -- the lowest level in 15 years -- last year from 48.18 million tons in 1993.

Beddu said this year's production will likely increase by 2.2 percent to 47.66 million tons of unhusked rice.

Indonesia, formerly the biggest rice importer in the world, became self sufficient in 1984. Rice is the main staple diet of the Indonesian population, currently about 192 million.

"Until 1993, our rice exports exceeded imports," Beddu said. "But I am sure that by the beginning of 1996 we will become self sufficient in rice again."

He said Bulog had signed contracts for this year's purchase of 1.04 million tons of rice from domestic suppliers and the agency had received the deliveries of 668,455 tons during the first six months of the year. (31)