Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The state-run Board of Logistics (Bulog) said it succeeded in maintaining a safe level of rice stock at 2.27 million tons by the end of 2012.

"The stock is the largest so far held by Bulog," its chief executive Sutarto Alimoeso said here on Thursday.

Sutarto said the stock is enough to cover the country`s requirement for eight months based on routine supply.

He said the availability of big sup0ply would better maintain price stability.

"If the price begins to rice we would go to the market releasing part of the stock," he said.

In 2012, Bulog released 298,118 tons of rice from its stock, down from 403,200 tons in the previous year.

Sutarto said a decline in rice production in 2011 forced Bulog to be more aggressive in releasing stock to keep the rice price stability.

He said Bulog utilized 435,601 tons of government`s rice stock for use as relief aid for victims of natural disasters and to keep price stability.

"We believe 435,601 tons for Government Rice Stock are sufficient, although the government wants to have stock of up to one to two million tons a year," he said.

In 2013, Bulog is set top keep more than 2 million tons of rice in stock including 6,410,643 tons through domestic procurement and imp0orts and 4,171,294 tons in public service obligation and commercial sales, he said.

"Therefore, until the end of 2013, Bulog`s final stock, according to its working plan and budget (RKAP) 2013 would reach 2,239,349 tons of rice," he said.

(H-ASG/O001)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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