Workers unload Vietnamese rice at Tenau Port in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (Source:http://www.thejakartapost.com) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution has called on the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to distribute imported rice that is currently stored at its warehouses to push rice prices down.
Earlier, Bulog planned to distribute 400,000 tonnes of subsidised rice in March in an effort to stabilise rice prices.
Besides, an additional 150,000 tonnes of rice will be brought to the market this month in stead of next month as originally scheduled.
Darmin said the move was crucial because the harvest season would reach its peak in April, when rice prices are expected to increase.
In January, the Indonesian Government decided to import 500,000 tonnes of rice due to increasing prices in the market. By doing so, it aimed to stabilise prices and provide Bulog with sufficient stock of the commodity.
However, Bulog procurement director Andrianto Wahyu Adi said later that the agency was only able to import 346,000 tonnes of rice, equivalent to almost 70 percent of the planned amount, due to time constraints.
Darmin stressed the need to do everything to push rice prices down prior to the start of the fasting month, which will last from May 15 to June 15 this year.-VNA
Earlier, Bulog planned to distribute 400,000 tonnes of subsidised rice in March in an effort to stabilise rice prices.
Besides, an additional 150,000 tonnes of rice will be brought to the market this month in stead of next month as originally scheduled.
Darmin said the move was crucial because the harvest season would reach its peak in April, when rice prices are expected to increase.
In January, the Indonesian Government decided to import 500,000 tonnes of rice due to increasing prices in the market. By doing so, it aimed to stabilise prices and provide Bulog with sufficient stock of the commodity.
However, Bulog procurement director Andrianto Wahyu Adi said later that the agency was only able to import 346,000 tonnes of rice, equivalent to almost 70 percent of the planned amount, due to time constraints.
Darmin stressed the need to do everything to push rice prices down prior to the start of the fasting month, which will last from May 15 to June 15 this year.-VNA
VNA
