Minister wants Indonesians to eat less rice, export more

Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan says the nation could be a net rice exporter if Indonesians ate less rice.

Indonesians ate about 140 kilograms of rice per capita every year, well above the 70 kilogram figure for other Southeast Aisan nations, such as Malaysia or Thailand, Gita said on Monday.

“Indonesia could be the largest rice exporter in the world if Indonesians decreased their per capita rice consumption by 40 pounds a year, Gita said after visiting Sinpasa market in Tangerang, Banten,” he said Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

Gita suggested that people substitute rice with other carbohydrates, such as cassava.