Tb. Arie Rukmantara and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Local governments are balking at the controversial plan to import 110,000 tons of rice from Vietnam, a move they say will devastate the livelihood of local farmers.

Governors grouped in the Association for Provincial Governments of Indonesia (APPSI) threatened on Friday to boycott shipments of the imported rice in their respective territory. APPSI vice chairman Fadel Muhammad, who is also governor of Gorontalo, said the government's plan was a shameful act.

"Governors of Jakarta, East Java, Yogyakarta, South Sumatra and myself are determined to reject the plan, and we will ask more to follow suit. We will exercise our rights... to send back every delivery to their ports of origin," Fadel told journalists.

Critics argue the plan to import rice is unnecessary and politically motivated because regions have ample supplies with the advent of the rainy season.

APPSI, a grouping of 33 governors, argues that as autonomous regions, its members have the right to reject government policies that are not in line with local interests. It has consistently opposed the central government's measures.

Regional Autonomy Law No.34/2004 stipulates that regional administrations may carry out parts of the government function to manage trade at seaports in their administration areas, indicating the governors also hold the authority to determine what goods enter and leave their areas.

The government's plan to import the medium-grade rice later this month would involve its unloading at ports outside Java – Belawan, Dumai, Bitung, Balikpapan, Ambon, Sorong, Jayapura, and Lhokseumawe.

The decision came as the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) predicted its rice reserves would fall to 868,000 tons in January – below the secure stock of one million tons – and with local farmers only be able to supply 21,000 tons for the month.

The government argues the imports will decrease the price of local rice on markets before the harvest as an effort to contain inflation.

House of Representatives (DPR) speaker Agung Laksono was cautious in evaluating the policy, saying the import of goods was to be expected in the global era. "But the government should set the maximum quota and the quality of the rice it will import," said the deputy chairman of Golkar Party.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the government took into account the protests by several factions in the House of Representatives, but asked that the issue should not be "politicized" amid an emergency situation.