Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Main Director of Perum Bulog, Budi Waseso, or familiarly known as Buwas, said that additional rice imports until the end of 2023, which were planned to be 1.5 million tons, will only be imported at 1 million tons. This follows because Perum Bulog is only able to import and contract 1 million tons of rice.

Meanwhile, the remaining 500 thousand tonnes, said Buwas, will be forfeited and will not be added to the import quota of 2 million tonnes in 2024.

“The 500 thousand (tons) immediately cannot be carried over (transferred to next year), the carryovers are only those contracted for this year. If you want (the 500 thousand tons) it must be submitted again or assigned again by the state as an addition, because that is an assignment “2023, yes, it must be realized in 2023 (too),” he explained when met at the DPR RI Complex, Wednesday (8/11/2023).

He detailed that of the planned additional 1.5 million tons by the end of 2023, 1 million tons have been contracted, of which only 600 thousand tons can be realized this year, while the remaining 400 thousand tons will come next year.

The reason for the 500 thousand tons of rice not being able to enter or the quota being forfeited, he said, was because Indonesia’s loading and unloading capacity was not sufficient, and the government was also considering the price and quality of the rice.

“We take into account that the contract is related to the ability to load and unload, and our ability to buy it too, apart from price and quality. So if it is like now, in a situation where the dollar is rising, all kinds of things will affect the purchase price. If the purchase price is more expensive than here, then there is nothing useful,” he explained.

On a separate occasion, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said that his party would try to ensure that the uncontracted rice import quota of 500 thousand tons was not forfeited, and that imports could continue in 2024.

“Later we want to talk about it, it shouldn’t be forfeited, we should put discretionary quotation marks, but if for example it doesn’t, what else can we do? We mean just absorb it (from) locally, right at the right time,” said Arief when met at the DPR RI Complex. .

Arief said that his party had discussed this matter with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). However, he said, it is currently still in the process of further discussion.

“Already (spoken to the President) yesterday. It has been discussed, later we will discuss the 500 thousand tons again. Yes, the President wants it all to come in, because we are providing 640 thousand tons of food aid, you know, food assistance for 3 months. Still under discussion so it doesn’t burn out, ” he concluded.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(wur)