W. Sumatra to import 25,000 tons of rice

W. Sumatra to import 25,000 tons of rice

JAKARTA (JP): The West Sumatra provincial office of the
National Logistics Agency will import 25,000 tons of rice from
Thailand, Taiwan, and India to anticipate a shortage, an official
says.

"The imported rice will arrive by the end of this month," M.
Rusmin, head of the office's operation section, told House
members from Jakarta who visited Padang, West Sumatra, early this
week.

He said the import will increase the local agency's rice
stocks to 106,000 tons.

"Nearly 49,000 tons have been designated for market operations
over the next four months," Rusmin said as quoted by Antara.

He said the market operations of the agency over the last few
months had successfully reduced the rice price, bringing the
province's inflation rate down to only 0.11 percent last month.

Chairman of the National Logistics Agency Beddu Amang ordered
his local subordinates last month to conduct market operations in
order to curb rising rice prices.

Beddu asked the heads of the agency's local offices to make
sure that their storehouses are always stocked with sufficient
supplies of rice. (01)