JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Food and Agriculture Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) emphasized that the plan to import rice from the United States, which was mentioned in the agreement for 1,000 tons, was not rice for daily consumption by the community. He called it special rice, a different type of rice from everyday rice.
"Oh, the rice, it's called 1,000 tons of the agreement is about special rice," said Zulhas after a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta, Monday, March 2.
The Minister of Trade gave an example of special rice such as Japanese rice, or rice for specific needs.
"If it's special rice, there's also rice for people who have sugar. We are definitely not the rice that makes our food," he said.
Zulhas explained that special rice is common in trade cooperation. He mentioned an agreement with Japan that allows Japanese rice to be imported for certain needs.
"If special rice is there, including our agreement with Japan, there is Japanese rice. For Japanese restaurants ... the rice is specially brought from there. Yes, we can," he said.
When asked why it was not produced by itself, Zulhas emphasized the price factor.
"It's expensive, more than 100 thousand 1 kilo," he said. According to him, the buyer is also limited. "Who wants to buy it? Who buys it is the one who eats at Japanese restaurants," said Zulhas.
Apart from rice, Zulhas said the meeting with the President discussed security of supplies during Ramadan until Eid.
"We ensure that during the fasting month, starting from this Lebaran, food stocks must be monitored strictly," he said.
He admitted that he had received an order to go to the field.
"I was ordered to go around to ensure that food, MBG, Kopdes, and then waste processing went well," he said.
"And of course, this fasting and Lebaran must be available, affordable and the price must not rise."
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