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Jokowi asks Bulog to acquire rice producer in Cambodia
Jokowi argued it was better for Indonesia to invest in one producer rather than constantly importing from its neighboring countries.
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A worker tidies up a stack of locally produced rice at state food company Perum Bulog’s
warehouse in Indramayu, West Java, on May 30, 2024. The company said that local rice supply
as of early of May had reached 590,000 tonnes, and the production was expected to increase in
June. (Antara/Dedhez Anggara)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has asked the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to acquire a rice producer in Cambodia.
Jokowi argued it was better for Indonesia to invest in one producer rather than constantly importing from its neighboring countries.
“It’s a business process that Bulog will undertake to ensure our country's rice stock is in a safe reserve position,” Jokowi said during the 52nd anniversary celebration of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) on Monday.
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest rice producer based on annual average output in the last five years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture data.
Yet, Indonesia has been importing rice in the past years as the country grapples with high prices in the domestic market, especially amid the El Niño weather phenomenon, and a prolonged dry season in parts of the country that has reduced local production.
So far this year, Indonesia has procured 1.9 million tonnes of rice, according to Bulog. That is around 52 percent of the planned procurement for this year of 3.6 million tonnes.
Last year, the country imported 3.3 million tonnes for the same reason.
