REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- National Police said the Special Task Force for Food (Satgas Pangan) has found no case related to rice stockpiling. Thus, the central government decision to import rice from Thailad was not only caused by stockpiling case.

"I can make sure there is no stockpiling of rice or what ever related to it," said National Police spokesperson Setyo Wasisto on Monday (January 15).

Nevertheless, Setyo refused to mention that government has supply shortage of rice. He said based on what he found on field, rice stock in Jakarta capital is enough, but short suppy occurred in several regions in Indonesia.

Furthermore, Setyo said Satgas Pangan has duty to supervise the distribution and check the availability of food stock. He also admitted there was harvest, but not too big as expected.

The decision to import rise was taken after the government, the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), and Satgas Pangan conducted market operations in November and December 2017 to contain the rising prices of medium rice. According to Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, the plan to import 500 thousand tons of rice from Vietnam and Thailand by the end ofJanuary will be carried out without using the state budget.

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