Rice importers to be named Thursday

JAKARTA (JP): The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) said on Tuesday that the winners of the agency's tender to import 600,000 metric tons of rice from China, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar would be announced on Thursday.

The chairman of the agency's foreign procurement department Mohamad Ismet said that only nine companies managed to pass the second stage of the tender on Tuesday, in which bidders put forward their prices and shipment proposals.

"Only nine companies are entitled to participate in the final stage. The results will be announced on Thursday," Ismet, who heads the tendering team, said after the completion of the second stage.

More than 100 local and foreign companies entered the prequalification stage but only 22 passed the first round of bidding, he said.

Disqualified

Thirteen of the 22 firms were, however, disqualified for not stating the free on board (FOB), and cost and freight (C&F) prices of their rice.

"The nine companies' bidding prices will be put forward to the Bulog chief. He would like to bargain further," Ismet said, referring to Bulog chairman Rahardi Ramelan, who is also the minister of industry and trade.

He said the nine companies who had qualified to enter the final stage of the tender were Cargill, PT Stelkon, Siam Rice, Orco International, Petronas, Kin Sun, Dharma Jagat, Soon Hua Seng and Ascot Commodities.

Indonesia plans to import 4.1 million tons of rice this year to make up for harvest failures caused by the prolonged drought.

The government has signed the contracts to import 2.4 million tons of rice, some of which has already been delivered. Of the rest, 1.2 million tons is to be bought through international bidding while the rest is expected to come through grants and loans. (gis)