KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Indonesia is set to import rice again next year. This is due to the prediction that domestic production will still not be normal next year due to the impact of El Nino. 

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that Indonesia has secured 3 million tons of rice from commitments from India and Thailand. Where 2 million tons were secured from Thailand and 1 million tons from India. 

"To secure strategic food reserves, we must do this. It means we have obtained a signature for one (million tons) and then two (million tons) from Thailand. We feel secure about food matters," said Jokowi in the Indonesian Economic Outlook, on Friday (22/12).

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Although Jokowi is optimistic about Indonesia's economy next year from the economic performance of 2023 and political conditions, how ever, the volatility of food commodity prices is a concern. 

"I am still a little worried about food commodities. Because during the super El Nino, our rice production dropped a little. In 2024, we estimate that we will still not return to normal," he explained.

However, the impact of El Nino is not only felt by Indonesia. In 2023, 22 countries chose to stop and limit food exports, so in 2023 Indonesia had difficulty finding additional rice reserves. 

However, in 2024, he said based on information from the Head of Bulog that a signature has been made to import one million tons of rice.

Then at the ASEAN-Japan Summit, Jokowi also obtained a commitment from Thailand for 2 million tons. 

"I heard there (Thailand) is a stock, then in the holding room, I expressed a desire to be able to import from Thailand. I said Indonesia needs 2 million tons. He then called his team in Thailand and told me in the afternoon 'President Jokowi, 2 million tons from Thailand are ready to be sent to Indonesia'," he said.

He emphasized that imports are carried out to secure strategic food reserves, namely rice. This is because El Nino has caused domestic production to decrease and it is predicted that production will not return to normal next year.

Editor: Syamsul Azhar