Off The Wire
Indonesia's Bulog signs contracts for 281,000 T of rice imports
By Bernadette Christina Munthe
JAKARTA, Feb 7 (Reuters) -
* Indonesia state food procurement agency Bulog said in a statement on Wednesday it has signed contracts with six companies for 281,000 tonnes of rice imports.
* Bulog will import 141,000 tonnes from Vietnam, 120,000 tonnes from Thailand and 20,000 tonnes from India, it said.
* The Indonesian government issued a permit in January for 500,000 tonnes of rice imports to improve local supplies and cool prices. * Bulog was in talks with eight companies for the supply of 346,000 tonnes of grain, for arrival in Indonesia by Feb. 28, after an international tender in January * However, several suppliers from Pakistan dropped out during price negotiations, Bulog corporate secretary Siti Kuwati said in the statement on Wednesday, citing "time constraints".
(Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe; Writing by Fergus Jensen, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)