"We have officially sent a letter for the extension of the rice procurement cooperation. We are waiting for the Thai government`s response," the director general said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is planning to extend its rice procurement cooperation with Thailand which will expire this year, a senior trade official said.
External Trade Director General of the Trade Ministry Deddy Saleh said here on Thursday that the Indonesian government had sent a draft memorandum of understanding on the extension of rice procurement cooperation to the Thai government.
"We have officially sent a letter for the extension of the rice procurement cooperation. We are waiting for the Thai government`s response," the director general said.
He said that the government is also asking for the extension of the same procurement with the Vietnamese government. The agreement on the rice procurement with the Vietnamese government will expire in 2012.
"We have also sent a draft memorandum of understanding to the Vietnamese government, and we are also waiting for its response," the director general added.
The government together with the state-owned logistics agency Bulog is also exploring cooperation on rice procurement with the governments of India and Pakistan.
"With Pakistan, we have sent a draft memorandum of understanding. When they meet next week, the Indonesian trade minister and her Pakistan counter part, (vice trade minister) are likely to discuss the matter," the director general said.
The government has also expressed its wish to cooperate with India in the purchase of rice.
"We have tried to explore the cooperation with the Indian trade ministry but it is not yet enough so that we still need to discuss it with the ministry of agriculture in that country," Deddy said.
The efforts are being made to find alternative sources of rice imports which would possibly be needed to secure national rice stocks at time domestic rice production is being disturbed.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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