KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Indonesia's state food procurement agency Bulog has secured contracts for 1 million metric tons of rice imports, it said in a statement.

Indonesia in early October said it will import an additional 1.5 million metric tons of rice in 2023, as drought affects harvests at home.

The additional quota comes on top of a 2 million ton import quota for 2023 and an additional 300,000 ton carryover from last year's import plan.

"Currently we have contracts with several countries where production is still good, namely Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and Myanmar," supply chain director of Bulog Mokhamad Suyamto said in the statement received on Friday, adding that it will also explore imports from India and Cambodia.

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Rice is a staple for most of Indonesia's 270 million people and price movement is politically sensitive, especially ahead of elections due in February.

The National Food Agency estimated drought in parts of the tropical country, worsened by the El Niño weather phenomenon, could shrink rice output by 5% to 7% this year from 31.54 million tons last year.

Editor: Anna Suci Perwitasari