Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Mokhamad Suyamto, Director of Supply Chain and Public Services at the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), said importing rice is crucial to meet the needs of the government's rice reserve (CBP) since El Nino has indeed caused a decline in domestic grain and rice production.

"From the allocation of 2.3 million tons, [the import of] 1.6 million tons of rice has been realized," Suyamto said in his statement on Friday, August 11, 2023.

The agency was assigned to import two million tons of rice in 2023, in addition to the remaining import assignment of 300,000 tons last year.

Suyamto explained that the decline in domestic grain and rice production in the second semester of 2023 was even worse compared to the first semester. On this basis, Bulog was determined to expedite the realization of the government's import allocation.

Bulog also performed mitigation efforts by absorbing as much grain and rice as possible from domestic farmers. From January to August 10, 2023, the agency noted that the realization of domestic rice absorption had reached 780,000 tons.

Suyamto also said that his side had intensively coordinated with importing countries to speed up the arrival of rice to Indonesia. Bulog would continue to maximize all existing instruments as a preemptive measure against El Nino.

Suyamto further asked the public not to worry about the impact of El Nino because Bulog currently has 1.33 million tons of rice in stock and the absorption of domestic rice production is still ongoing besides the imports.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1758788/bulog-imports-1-6-million-tons-of-rice-amid-el-nino-threa