Jokowi Decides To Open 2 Million Tons Of Rice Imports, Zulhas: Yes, We Will Do It

Minister of Trade Zulhas (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan said the government's decision to reopen rice import taps had been decided in a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

As is known, the government has assigned Perum Bulog to import 2 million tons of rice by December 2023. In the first phase, 500,000 tons of rice will enter.

"Ratas has (decided to import rice)," he told reporters written Tuesday, March 28.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, said he would provide support and be ready to carry out the rice import order.

"The Minister of Trade's job is to support. So when the meeting has been decided, we will do it," he said.

Regarding rice imports, some time ago Zulhas had revealed the plan to the public during a working meeting with Commission VI of the DPR.

Zulhas revealed that the government plans to reopen its rice import option this year. The quota opened is about 500,000 tons of rice.

He said the option came after a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), including seeing the stock of CBP controlled by Bulog running low.

"So yesterday, led by the President, we have decided, whenever necessary we can enter again as many as 500,000 (tons)," he said in a Working Meeting with Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, written Thursday, March 16.

Furthermore, Zulhas emphasized that import taps will not be opened in the near future, considering that currently entering the main harvest in various regions in the country.

Even though it's hard, because actually I don't agree with the imports, but there is no choice. Yesterday it was decided to return 500,000 (tons). But (implementation of imports) when (the time) is needed, because now it's a big harvest," he said.