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AKARTA: The government says it has no plans to import rice this year as stockpiles are sufficient.

Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said the government would wait for the latest delivery of last year’s rice imports, which was scheduled for February.

“Imports are not being planned, but it is something that we will monitor,” he told reporters late on Wednesday at his office in Jakarta as quoted by www.detikfinance.com.

Throughout the past year, the Central Logistics Agency (Bulog) — which has the task of securing the country’s rice supply — has committed to buying 1.9 million tons of rice from Thailand, Vietnam and India with the latest shipment expected next month.

The imported rice adds to 1.8 million tons of rice purchased from local farmers for Bulog’s stockpiles.