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Importation of basic commodities, including rice, is a lucrative business and a number of officials and politicians have been jailed for abusing their power in this sector.
It is important that we do not get lost in the debate around whether Indonesia needs to import its rice and instead remain focused on those who are producing it domestically.
State-owned logistics company Bulog president director Budi Waseso said on Monday he had told President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo that Indonesia did not need to import rice.
It is the main food for the poor among 260 million Indonesians and in several other Southeast Asian countries.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaeman was reluctant to comment on an open debate involving government officials on importing rice, but added that the issue was an old paradigm.
Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution has stated that the government has canceled the import of 600,000 tons of rice.
Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has appeared reluctant to comment on a statement made by state-owned logistics company Bulog president director Budi Waseaso, who criticized a plan to import 2 million tons of rice.
Indonesia will not have to import rice through June 2019 as the country has enough of the commodity in stock, said Budi Waseso, head of state-owned logistics firm Bulog.
Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said on Monday that the government had reaffirmed its plan to import 2 million tons of rice this year to assure the availability of the commodity in the market.
Rice will still be the single most important crop in the country, the key food in diets and a symbol of Asian culture, but it will not be as dominant in coming years.