Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Government is currently exploring cooperation to import rice from several countries, such as Cambodia, India, Bangladesh, and China, to stabilize prices and ensure sufficient rice supply for domestic consumption.
According to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), talks regarding rice imports had been held with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Indian PM Narendra Modi, Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
"(These imports) are to ensure that we have a stock reserve strategy to prevent (price) rises because rice production will definitely decrease due to the El Nino phenomenon," Jokowi stated while visiting the Dramaga Bulog Warehouse in Bogor, West Java, on Monday.
Despite initial discussions having started, Jokowi said that the government had yet to finalize any rice import contracts with certain countries, as they still have to negotiate about prices.
“The price remains an important issue in negotiations to decide on whether to seal the deal," he remarked.
Earlier, reports said that during a bilateral meeting with Cambodian PM Hun Manet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, last week, Jokowi expressed Indonesia's keenness to import around 250 thousand tons of rice per year from Cambodia.
The import from Cambodia will bolster additional rice stocks from several countries, which in total are estimated to reach 400 thousand tons.
The amount will boost rice reserves in the state logistics agency Bulog warehouses, which currently stock 1.6 million tons, he remarked. The president stated that the quantity is already above normal conditions, reaching 1.2 million tons.
However, to anticipate the impact of El Nino this year as well as to secure rice supply until next year, President Jokowi said he believed the country still needs to import rice from several countries.
"We already have a lot of stock, but we are still looking to where we can buy (rice) not only for now but also to anticipate (needs) next year," President Jokowi remarked.
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