Harvest, rice export targets will be met: Govt

The Jakarta Post   |  Fri, 03/06/2009 7:57 PM  |  Business

The Indonesian government says it will be ready to export one million tons of rice this year despite reports of crop failures due to massive flooding in parts of the country.

The government would be able to meet its target of stockpiling 40 million tons of rice this year, the director general for foodstuffs and horticulture, Sutarto Ali Muso, said in Lamongan on Friday.

“The target can still be reached, which means we can export,” Ali said, as quoted by Antara state news agency.

He said the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) would be able to accumulate a total of 63.5 million tons of unhusked rice this year (equal to 40 million tons of hulled rice), despite the recent floods.

“If we can reach that target, exporting 1 million tons of rice will not hurt our national rice stocks. The stocks will remain secure until 2010,” Ali said.

As for the flooding, the rainy season was likely to continue until the beginning of this month, he said.

“Crop failures have been reported in around 66,000 hectares of paddy, whereas last year the figure was 100,000 hectares.” (and)
 

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