Rice stocks to last only until January

JAKARTA: The National Logistics Agency Jakarta office (Bulog Jakarta) announced on Thursday that its rice stock could only cover December and the first two weeks of January as most of it would be distributed to the poor.

"We have only 3,474 tons of rice in our warehouses right now. We have a national program called 'Rice for the Poor'. Each month, we distribute 2,300 tons of rice for them," head of Bulog Jakarta Rito Angky was quoted as saying by Antara.

Each month, Bulog Jakarta distributes rice to 117,825 poor families in the capital.

Rito said with the current level of consumption, by mid- January Bulog Jakarta will have no more rice left.

"The safe stock level for Jakarta is 10,000 tons. This amount will last for six months," he said.

Rito said he was requesting for rice from other Bulog warehouses in Central Java and East Java to be able to serve Jakartans for at least a three month-period. --JP