Vice President: The Plan To Import 5 Million Tons Of Rice Is Anticipatory

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin /ANTARA / Zuhdiar Laeis)

SEMARANG - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin explained that the government's plan to import 5 million tons of rice this year is actually more anticipatory.

"It is an anticipation, not necessarily implemented," he said, while conducting a review at the KRMT Wongsonegoro Hospital, Semarang, reported by ANTARA, Friday, January 26.

According to Ma'ruf, imports will first consider meeting food needs, including harvest.

"If it is in order to meet the needs, the harvest is not good, there is a shortage. In order to meet it," he said.

"The point is, if it is forced, it is done, and we will see what the harvests will be like later," he continued.

Regarding the number of rice imports, said the Vice President, it will be adjusted to the needs later, especially later seeing the impact of El Nino's phenomenon on the agricultural sector.

"Anticipating the consequences of El Nino, if it happens as feared, it means having to import up to 5 million tons. Because if it is not sufficient, it will be a problem," he said.

Previously, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman said Indonesia had the potential to import up to 5 million tons of rice by 2024 due to increasingly complex agricultural challenges and potential world food crises.

The increasing demand for food after the COVID-19 pandemic has made food prices even more expensive which can encourage global food emergencys and can potentially threaten Indonesia's socio-economic and political stability.

In 2023, said the Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia has decided to import 3.5 million tons of rice, and has the opportunity to reach 5 million in 2024.

The Indonesian government initially only imported 2 million tons whose importation process had started in early 2023.

However, in order to maintain price stabilization and rice supply towards the end of 2023 and the election democracy party which will occur in February 2024, the government has again decided to import another 1.5 million tons of rice so that the total rice imports in 2023 reach 3.5 million tons.

In addition to export restrictions from food producing countries, El Nino has an impact on reducing rice production from last year's 31 million tons and to 30 million tons this year as an excuse for the government to add back to the import quota.